Unexpected Circumstances
by iloveprettysilverhair
Summary: *Revisions are being made* A near death experience,an eccentric old priestess,and a feisty demon lord are what Kagome faces when Naraku decides to stir up trouble.Can Kagome, with the help of our favorite stoic demon,overcome these obstacles?
1. Encounters, or lack thereof

**_This is my first ever fanfic! I'm in the middle of revisions, so bear with me _**

* * *

The country sides of feudal Japan were all feeling the effects of the summer heat. Even the shadows cast by the trees were of little reprieve for the inhabitants of the forest. The waters of a nearby stream were the only refuge for the group of travelers that consisted of two demons, three humans, and one half-demon.

For once everyone was silent, for even talking was an obstacle of the heat. There were no remarks of perverseness, no foul mouth comebacks, and no idle chatter. Even Inuyasha had been uncharacteristically quiet. His lack of speech was more than likely due more to the fact that their common enemy had been eluding them the past few battles, and less to do than the heat. So, because of this, no one had expected the sudden outburst from said half-demon, that made everyone jump back in surprise.

"Four days have passed and not a sign of Naraku!" yelled Inuyasha as he threw his arms in the air.

The group rolled their eyes at his lack in demeanor. They were all very much aware that Naraku had yet to make him self known, but no one saw the reasoning in pitching a fit about it.

"Give it a rest will ya? There's no sense in getting all worked up about it, I'm sure we'll find him soon," Kagome said in an effort to placate Inuyasha. Although she was usually pretty patient with the half-demon, the summer sun was wearing thin her fortitude.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and leaned up against a nearby tree. "Feh! If it was up to you, you'd be back home taking a bath, only this time, you might really need it," he barked.

Kagome pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Inuyasha… SIT!"

The all familiar sound of a crater making half-demon filled the otherwise silent day. The others shook their heads at the poor guy who always tended to stick a foot in his mouth, but went back to their own musings all too soon.

"Boy, she must have been mad this time, look at the size of that crater," laughed Shippou as his little fox tail wagged happily.

A low growl could be heard from the whole in the ground before a pair of fuzzy white ears emerged followed closely by the enraged face of Inuyasha. "Gah! What'd ya do that for!" he yelled.

Kagome looked at him then turned her head and stuck her nose in the air. "Inuyasha, you're one to talk, if it wasn't for me, you probably wouldn't even know what a bath is, you'd probably just be off somewhere licking yourself!" Kagome retorted hotly.

Inuyasha growled and cursed under his breath. The others giggled to themselves at the exchange.

"Hum, they're at it again," said Miroku wistfully. The constant bickering of their friends was something that had become second nature within the group. It was usually all in good fun, but there were times when the arguments became too much to bear. Fortunately, this time it was only providing some much needed entertainment to keep their minds off of the heat. "They fight so often, it's almost weirder when they don't," Miroku sighed.

"Geeze, why can't you just relax and stick your feet in the water like everyone else, Inuyasha? We're just and anxious to find Naraku but you don't see us complaining," Sango said.

"Now, now Sango dear, if this is what makes Inuyasha feel better then let him, by all means, complain. I'm sure that will help us find Naraku faster," Miroku said with a teasing lilt.

"You wanna come over hear and say that to my face, Monk?!" Inuyasha threatened from his hole in the ground.

"Oh Inuyasha would you just calm down already," said Kagome. "Don't go starting any fights, it's too hot to get all worked up. Don't make me say IT again"

With flattened ears and a new found appreciation for a dirt free mouth, Inuyasha swallowed his original retort. "Feh!" was all he said as his only choice of words to end the argument; he _was_ going to get the last word in.

"Inuyasha you idiot, you're going to end up kissing the ground again no matter how hard you try," Shippou said in effort to bait him.

Deep in his throat Inuyasha let out a threatening growl in Shippou's direction, who immediately withdrew behind Kirara in hopes of protection. He peeped up from behind the fire cat and stuck his little tongue out at Inuyasha which earned him a scowl in return.

While slowly shaking her head and smiling softly, Kagome became lost in her own thoughts as the heat once again brought silence upon their group.

'_Hm, I don't know how much more of this we all can take. Naraku's such a coward, it's a wonder how we even know what he looks like, he hardly ever shows himself. I only hope that during his absence he isn't growing any stronger, we're pretty strong ourselves, but even we have our limitations.'_

She looked once more at her friends before lying back down in the cool grass. Although the jewel shards were their top priority, it was always nice to get a little break and just enjoy the day. Kagome closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze playing across her skin while the others fell into a peaceful silence.

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru, Lord Sesshoumaru!" yelled a toothy grinned girl. "Rin is hungry, may I please find some food?"

Sesshoumaru looked down to his young ward from his scan of the surrounding area. He watched impassively as Rin rocked back and forth on her heels awaiting his answer patiently. She did not have to wait long. "Do as you wish Rin but do not be long. We will be leaving shortly."

With a clawed hand, the demon lord ran his long tapered fingers through his silvery-white hair and flipped it over his shoulder. He watched as Rin ran off behind a few bushes in search of a snack, but his thoughts were not on the young girl.

'_Damn that bastard Naraku. How has he managed yet again to hide his vile stench from This Sesshoumaru? I grow tired of all these overly confident half-breeds.'_

Not unlike Inuyasha and his friends, the full demon lord had also failed to find any trace of Naraku, let alone any of his incarnations. Needless to say he was growing rather impatient; the demon lord always got what he wanted when he wanted it, but with Naraku in hiding, he had no better luck than the rest.

"Merely a set-back," Sesshoumaru thought aloud.

"What was that milord?" asked Jaken, the toad servant who was standing faithfully by Sesshoumaru's side.

A soft growl came from the depths of the demon lord's chest as he swiftly kicked the toad in the backside. With a yelp the toad demon massaged his aching rear and then began to bow profusely. Naraku was definitely a touchy subject to his Lord Sesshoumaru and there was no doubt that that was where his lord's thoughts were. He was always so cranky when it came to that half-demon filth.

Naraku successfully managed to bruise the dog lord's ego not once, but twice since he first encountered him. When he first met Naraku he had struck a deal with the white baboon clad being. Naraku had given him a human arm infused with a jewel shard in order to wield Tessaiga, Inuyasha's sword. Sesshoumaru did not hesitate to agree to the deal to kill Inuyasha in return for the arm; he was eager to seek revenge on his younger half-brother who had so tactlessly taken his left arm. After Sesshoumaru failed to maintain control of Tessaiga, the arm that was given to him threatened to burn his entire body. That was when he had taken on a vendetta towards the vile half-breed, Naraku. He only added to this vendetta when Naraku had kidnapped his ward, Rin, and used her as a distraction to aid in his own cowardly escape.

"Forgive this lowly Jaken, master. I did not mean to upset you!" cried Jaken during his posturing.

"Hn. Go and find Rin, we are leaving now," said the stoic lord with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Without any hesitation Jaken ran in the direction of the young girl as he was ordered to do. Not five minutes later did the servant return with the human child in tow. She gave her lord a toothy grin as he watched the two run towards him.

The child was an enigma to the Western Lord. He found himself constantly reenacting the day he brought the girl back to life in his head to determine his actions. Any other human would have been left to die that day he saved her, but it was that smile he remembered that tipped the scale and made him go back to her. This child showed no fear of the demon lord; in fact, she seemed only content to be around him. Sesshoumaru's outlook of humans did not change, even after she joined his small entourage. They were still greedy, pigheaded, and filthy in his eyes. But this girl, Rin, had captured his interest, and for that, he was confused.

The only other human to ever cross his path that he gave remembrance to other than Rin was the young priestess that traveled with his foul-mouthed half-brother. She had survived his poison in his father's tomb when he unsuccessfully tried to kill her, and had lived through his blast from the stolen Tessaiga before he was once again relieved of it. She dared to talk back to him on both occasions, berating him for his actions; something no one has ever lived through.

So why was it that he could not kill her?

She harbored a deep spiritual power, that was for sure, but she was untrained and clumsy, prone to letting her emotions rule her just like any other human. What made her so special? Sesshoumaru suppressed a growl that threatened to escape his throat. She was _not_ that special, so why was he letting her invade his thoughts so?

He was gratefully brought out of his musing by a soft tug on the leg of his pants. Rin looked up at him with curious eyes; she had been watching while he was lost in thought.

"Rin, I trust you fared well?" asked the demon lord.

"Oh yes Lord Sesshoumaru! Rin found everything she needed!" the young girl replied with her infamous toothy grin.

"Then we will be on our way," he said as he motioned his two vassals to follow him. His mood had taken a sour turn. Not only was his mind plagued by thoughts of the human wench that traveled with his brother, but he still had no leads as to where Naraku was hiding.

'_Wherever Naraku is, I will find him, it's only a matter of time. He cannot evade me for long and I will have his head.' _The demon lord's thoughts carried him as the small group walked in silence; well that is, until Rin decided to sing a song she made up about her Lord Sesshoumaru and friends Jaken and a large two-headed dragon named Ah-Un to pass the time.

* * *

The rag-tag group of warriors had been traveling for over two weeks only stopping to sleep in order to find any sign of Naraku. The last time they met with him, the sacred jewel was almost completely whole with only five shards missing; the one in Sango's brother Kohaku, the two shards in the wolf lord Kouga's legs, and the two that the group managed to find. The rest were unfortunately in Naraku's greedy possession.

During the last encounter with him, Kagome was able to sense the jewel and she cringed when she saw how tainted it had become; glowing such as dark red it almost appeared black. Naraku had used his new-found power of the almost completed sacred jewel to create a vicious demon called Houjinki, a half bird and half bear demon who stood upright around eight feet tall with straight, razor sharp claws so long they almost touched the ground. The claws had reeked of poison and his eyes were a piercing red, which gave the impression it was burning a hole straight through whoever he gazed upon. The demon could easily maneuver in the air, although it was enormous in size and its wings spread longer than the length of its body and produced enough wind to bend the surrounding trees.

During the battle Miroku tried to use his wind tunnel but to no avail. Naraku had sent his evil insects to hinder any such attempt to swallow up his incarnation. Sango and her hiraikotsu were able to inflict some damage to one of its wings which grounded it long enough for Inuyasha to slay it with his backlash wave, the wind scar having failed several times when he used it. It was a worthy opponent, and all of them had the wounds to prove it. Miroku had sucked up a small amount of poison from Naraku's insects but was only momentarily hindered. Sango got a nice scratch on her cheek when the demon scraped her with his claws inadvertently. Luckily, the demon had to actually be paying attention to release his poison. Kagome suffered a gash on her forehead when a rock flew at her by the force of the wind its wings created and Inuyasha ended up with cuts on his stomach and arms from the demon's claws as well. They earned another jewel shard from their winnings, but they had to admit that Naraku's demons were getting stronger, which gave them a sense of unease. This demon had been very tough, what would the next one be like?

After they tended and bandaged their wounds they returned to the task at hand. They had walked straight through the day without a single sign of a demon or a sacred jewel. They all sighed in exhaustion as night revealed its stars to all of them while they finally stopped to set up camp. It had been a very arduous couple of weeks and it was starting to take its toll on everyone.

"Feh, you guys are useless, always having to stop and take a break. If it was just me, I'd find Naraku in no time," spat Inuyasha once again breaking a relatively peaceful silence.

"We are not built the same as you Inuyasha; we are frail and need this time to recuperate. It would be wise to let us do so, so that we will be more effective in battle," Miroku sighed. They had been pushing themselves to the limit trying to keep up with Inuyasha's brutal pace. It was only thanks to Kagome's threat to 'sit' him into oblivion that Inuyasha had finally agreed to let them rest again.

"Yeah, Inuyasha. You need us 'weaklings' and you know it, so quit whining like a baby," said Shippou proudly.

Inuyasha smacked Shippou over the head, leaving a nice bump in his fist's wake. As the little fox's eyes began to water, he cried out loud and jumped into Kagome's waiting arms. "Waaa! Kagome, Inuyasha's picking on me!" the little fox cried into her shoulder.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha with narrowed eyes. "Inuyasha…" she began.

"Heh?" he said weakly.

"SIT!"

"Ahh!" Inuyasha screamed in pain as his body plummeted to the ground with the force of the subjugation spell rosary.

"You should learn to behave Inuyasha, and then I wouldn't have to SIT you," said Kagome.

Once again, the ground came up to greet Inuyasha, just as he was recovering from the last spell. "Why me?" he whimpered.

"Oops, sorry! That one slipped," Kagome said as she waved her hand in front of her.

They all ate their dinner in peace after that, although Inuyasha would occasionally glare and growl softly at Kagome. The finished their meal and each took their spot around the fire, determined to catch some sleep before they headed off again in the morning. With Inuyasha keeping guard up on his perch in a nearby tree, the group welcomed sleep to them. Kagome walked up to the tree Inuyasha was sitting in and looked up with pleading eyes and a small smile.

"Um, Inuyasha?" she started.

"Yeah, what is it?" he bit out.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I sat you. I was just a little tense and…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. Don't think some little subduing spell will hurt me," he gloated.

"Hm, alright then. Have a good night Inuyasha," she said as she walked back to her sleeping bag.

"Get some sleep Kagome, see you in the morning," Inuyasha offered to her retreating form. He looked to the starlit sky and listened as the breathing of his friends evened out to signify they were asleep. With his senses on constant alert, Inuyasha allowed his eyes to drift closed.

* * *

Morning came early considering everyone was still so exhausted. Sleep had been restless for all of them with visions of Naraku and his demons as well as his incarnations haunting their dreams. Regardless of their weariness, they all continued on their way searching for Naraku.

It was an uneventful day thus far, and all of them were restless. Shippou and Kagome passed the time by playing games such as "I Spy" and she challenged him to transform into different things that she made up, while Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha talked about nothing in particular just to pass the time.

They came upon a pass late in the afternoon that had trees lining the path and gave way only to a small clearing about everyone half of a mile. Something about the pass made them quiet their conversations as well as their own thoughts. Although the pass _seemed_ peaceful enough, Kirara quietly growled and her hair began to stand on end. The silence sent chills down Kagome's spine as she clenched her bow tighter in her grasp. Inuyasha was growing uncomfortable with the silence as well and flicked the hilt of his sword in its sheath with his thumb, prepared to take quick action.

"Do you sense it too Kirara?" asked Sango. Kirara growled her answer in return. "Inuyasha-"

"Yeah, I sense it. I can also smell his vial stench here," replied Inuyasha.

"It has to be Naraku, only he gives off such a powerful and evil demonic aura," said Miroku adding in his thoughts.

The group remained quiet for a while and halted their steps. Their eyes scanned the area to try and find anything that seemed out of place.

"I can sense a sacred jewel shard; coming from behind that group of trees," said Kagome quietly as she pointed in front of her.

Inuyasha drew his sword and held it out in front of him. The group was quick to ready themselves for battle with their foe. Miroku had his hand on the prayer beads, in case he had to call on his wind tunnel quickly and his staff was implanted in the ground next to him. Sango readied her hiraikotsu while Kirara transformed into her powerful fire cat form. Kagome raised her bow and arrow prepared to shoot at any moment and Shippou, who had hopped down from Kagome's arms, was now in his attack position, hiding behind her legs. The air was thick with tension as a stillness settled around them. The hackles on Inuyasha stood on end and he quickly filled the silence.

"Grrr…I'm tired of waiting! Come out and fight Naraku, quit bein' a coward!" yelled Inuyasha.

On cue, Naraku's evil laughter filled the silent pass. "Kukuku, don't you all look intimidating standing there," his deep sinister voice echoed among the trees causing everyone to look around them expectantly.

"Naraku you bastard, quit hiding!" Inuyasha cried out to the unseen form.

Slowly, Naraku appeared before them, almost seeming to materialize out of nowhere with a leer on his face. The evil half demon leisurely approached the group who were tense in their readiness to fight. Although Naraku's gait was slow he did not take such a sluggish pace with his appendages as one of his tentacles shot out and nearly missed striking Inuyasha through his chest. The fight was on. Inuyasha did not hesitate to attack and called upon his "Wind Scar" assault. Although it hit his target, Naraku merely chuckled at the poor attempt on his life.

"Inuyasha, I would have thought that by now you would know I am nearly invincible," taunted Naraku holding up the nearly completed jewel lovingly.

"Inuyasha look out!" screamed Sango suddenly.

Another one of Naraku's spidery tentacles quickly shot out from Naraku's body while Inuyasha was distracted by the jewel and stabbed Inuyasha in the leg before he could evade it, making him howl in pain. Kagome ran over to him, to ensure that he was okay and helped him to kneel. He was in pain as he crouched behind his sword swearing under his breath at his rotten timing. Kagome drew back her arrow at Naraku, and aimed for his heart. The evil half demon glanced at her from the corner of his eye while the sides of his mouth folded up ever so slightly into a snarl.

"I'm tired of you! DIE NARAKU!" screamed Kagome. She knocked her arrow back, but before she could fire her arrow, another tentacle swept out and hit her square in the stomach and throwing her back into a large neighboring tree. She lay still on the ground, knocked out by the force of the collision. The young fox demon screamed her name and scrambled to get to her to make sure she was still alive. He had tears welling up in his eyes as he bent over her to see if she was still breathing. Shippou sighed in relief when he felt her breath upon the back of his hand.

"Damn you Naraku," Inuyasha growled in nearly a scream, "you'll pay for that! Wind Scar!" his famous technique that was known to kill a hundred demons in a single sweep drove straight for Naraku and hit true, but barely scratched him. While Inuyasha was fighting face to face with Naraku, on the other side of him the demon slayer and monk were on the defensive with the tentacles shooting out all around them. As a counter-attack on Naraku, Sango used her hiraikotsu to break off an extremity holding Miroku by the neck.

"Thanks Sango… I thought I was a goner," Miroku gasped as he tried to bring air back into his lungs.

"I've had just about enough of this!" screamed Inuyasha, "Adamant Barr…"

Before Inuyasha could finish his attack, a bright sacred arrow flew passed his head straight for Naraku. The evil half demon had noticed the arrow coming for him, but was too slow to doge and it pierced his heart, making him turn to dust before their very eyes. The group all looked around and saw Kagome sitting up on the ground with her legs bent to the side of her, breathing hard having just fired the arrow. Inuyasha walked up to where Naraku had been and kicked a small wooden figurine effortlessly before stomping on it and turning it into dust as well.

"Damn, another puppet. He's close by though, watching, and probably mocking us. THIS ISN'T OVER NARAKU!" Inuyasha yelled into the trees.

Inuyasha was more disappointed than ever, all that fighting for just another one of Naraku's puppets. The monster that had made his life a living hell by tricking him and his first love, Kikyo, over fifty years ago had yet again slipped through his clutches. Inuyasha clenched his hands tightly into a fist, causing his claws to pierce his own skin, uncaring that blood was no seeping from his hand. He began to get lost in his thoughts, thinking about his vengeance for the undead woman that he swore to protect.

Although he didn't want to admit it, it had been getting harder and harder for him to look at Kagome and not think of Kikyo because of their still uncanny resemblance, but he still managed...for now. The similarities were just too close; he knew that Kagome was her own person away from Kikyo, but even knowing that didn't help. He had been inconspicuously keeping his distance from Kagome, but he had a feeling that she knew he was being distant.

Kikyo had not made an appearance for well over a month now and Inuyasha was taking it pretty hard; he missed her and it hurt him that she didn't bother to seek him out more often. Living off the souls of dead women had given Kikyo a prolonged life, albeit a less than honorable one. She smelled of death and graveyard soil, courtesy of the witch Urasue and her successful attempt to bring the woman back to life. The tragic love story between Inuyasha and Kikyo always made Kagome's heart cry out to them; they were, in all aspects, star-crossed lovers: a priestess and a demon.

Kagome only looked on at the half-breed for she knew what he was thinking. She had noticed that he was becoming more reluctant to look her in the eyes with every day Naraku had remained hidden. The realization that every time he looked at her he saw Kikyo hurt her to the core, but she did well to hide it. He held so much sadness in his eyes whenever their glances locked. She had realized long ago that Inuyasha would never harbor feeling for her as he did for Kikyo, but it didn't take away the pain.

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and she gave him a small close-mouthed smile which was not returned. Instead he said and did nothing and slowly turned his head to study the ground in front of him. She let out a small sigh and became very interested in the ground in front of her as well. The others felt the tension and quickly tried to take their minds off of the encounter. Sango was the first to break the awkward silence.

"Hey, maybe we should find a place to camp for the night, it's getting dark," she suggested.

"That's a good idea, we could all use a rest and some dinner," replied Miroku in agreement.

Inuyasha only huffed at the idea, frustrated at the day's turn of events. "Do what you want; I'm going for a walk," he sulked and disappeared into the forest.

"Are you okay Kagome?" asked Shippou as he hopped up onto her shoulder.

Kagome nodded and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine, I'm kinda getting used to it." Plastering a big fake smile on her face she changed her sad tune and turned to her friends. "Everything's great! Let's get dinner started, I'm famished!"

The demon slayer and the monk exchanged knowing glances but decided to play along; at least it was better than having her be outwardly depressed. As they set off to find a clearing for them to camp Kagome became lost in her thoughts yet again.

'_Inuyasha will never feel the same way for me as he does for Kikyo, I know that already. Besides, I'm the one that chose to stay with HIM; he made his feelings perfectly clear from the beginning that he was going to follow Kikyo to hell after we've destroyed Naraku.'_

"Still…" she trailed off out loud with a sigh. She followed Miroku and Sango into the forest to help set up camp with only one look behind her in the direction Inuyasha had gone.

* * *

The group sat around the fire of their camp and enjoyed their undersized fish that tasted like a banquet meal since they were so hungry. Unfortunately, Kagome had run out of ramen a few days ago and none had eaten since their fish the night before. It had been over two hours and Inuyasha still had not returned although none of them were worried, they knew that he could take care of himself. He seemed to do this more often than not as of lately, especially now that Naraku had gone into hiding. They all finished their small meal and decided to get some sleep, the days events had been tiresome and it was becoming a fight to keep their eyes open. Miroku determined that he would keep watch over everyone for the night, and the rest drifted carelessly off to sleep. The warm fire danced across his face as he looked around the camp at those he was guarding. The night was long and the fire was comforting and soon the eyelids of their guardian became heavier with every minute. A few times he shook himself awake again, forcefully opening his dry, stinging eyes but it wasn't long before he gave in to sleep as well.

In the distance a set of dark eyes watched amusingly as the monk finally let his head drop to his chest as rest captured him. A quiet menacing laugh pierced the darkness as a man in a white baboon pelt dropped from his hiding place in a nearby tree.

'_Inuyasha is nowhere to be found, and his friends have all fallen asleep. To think how easy it would be to kill them all and leave him alone in this world to suffer' _thought Naraku. _'But where would the fun in that be? It's too easy.'_

He took a couple of steps forward but stopped to turn his head slightly to the side to talk over his shoulder. A ways behind him Kagura had been hiding herself behind a tree, watching as Naraku scanned the camp of Inuyasha's compatriots.

"Kagura", he snapped.

With a small jump she answered, "Yes Naraku?"

He smirked and turned his head again towards the front before answering. "Go and find Inuyasha, tell him that I want him to be here to watch as I rip his friends from his life."

With a nod and a gust of wind, Kagura sped off to find Inuyasha. She would never admit it, but she feared Naraku and every time he said her name her skin crawled. She hated being Naraku's messenger and loathed every menial task he sent her to do, but with her heart in the palm of his hand, she had no choice but to obey.

* * *

Deep in the forest Inuyasha was sitting atop a high tree lost in his thoughts. The night sky loomed above him as stars winked in his direction as if trying to comfort him. Many nights he had sat in the same position, thinking of what it would feel like to finally have his revenge for the heartache Naraku put him and Kikyo through that led to her death fifty years ago. It was becoming a routine to daydream like this. In this routine he could control the outcome of Naraku's life. He could almost taste sweet revenge on his lips as he pictured Naraku screaming in pain brought on by him and his sword. A small smile worked its way to his mouth as he thought of this sight. It soon disappeared as his thoughts once again traveled to the undead miko.

'_Damn, I can't believe he dodged me again! Don't worry Kikyo, I won't stop fighting until Naraku has paid for the pain and suffering he put you through; the pain he has put all of us through.'_

His thoughts were interrupted when a strong yet calm voice filled the air.

"Inuyasha," Kagura said slowly while sauntering towards the half-breed.

"Kagura," Inuyasha said with a growl as he jumped off his tree limb and drew his sword. "What the hell do _you_ want?!"

Waving her hands in front of her in a submissive manner she simply replied, "Don't shoot the messenger; I just came to tell you that Naraku is at your campsite, he thought you should know."

Without a second glance Inuyasha darted off towards his friends. Branches slapped him across his face as he hurried towards the camp. He felt nothing but fear, the tingle of the passing branches was nothing he couldn't handle, he had only one desire: to get to his friends in time.

* * *

Naraku quietly slipped into the camp unnoticed and slithered his way towards the sleeping group. Although his was vicious, he was not completely without pride. He would not simply kill them in their sleep; he would make sure he could watch as their eyes fogged over with horror as he stole their lives from them. Having found this new resolve he reached out and wrapped one of his snake-like tentacles around the ankle of the demon slayer. With a quick yank he drug her towards him bringing her quickly back into consciousness. Sango's eyes widened and she desperately dug her fingernails into the ground trying to stop her self from moving.

"Gaah! Miroku! Kagome! Wake up!" screamed Sango as Naraku continued to drag her away from her friends.

They all shot up with their eyes wide to the spectacle taking place before them. Miroku was almost frozen in fear as he watched Sango being forced away from him. In an instant Kirara bit down hard on the tentacle holding Sango and tore it apart releasing her, but not without expelling a miasma that rapidly surrounded their camp. Coughing and covering her mouth with her sleeve, Kagome turned in a circle to try and find the glow of the jewel shards indicating Naraku's position. Although he spoke, it was nearly impossible to pinpoint where he was through the thick purple cloud.

"Now that you are all awake this should be more interesting!" laughed Naraku manically.

Desperately trying to see anything through the miasma, Kagome drew an arrow and aimed it at the ground. She let it go and as soon as it hit, a purifying light consumed the miasma and soon it dissipated. Kagome grabbed another arrow and fired one at a tentacle going for Shippou, purifying it to dust. Naraku snarled; his miasma had been purified and now he had a wounded appendage; things were not going completely as he pictured it. Tired of the games he struck out at Kagome at a lightning fast speed.

"Impudent wench! You will pay for that! I will kill you and have your sacred jewel shards!" Naraku yelled his voice angry and malicious.

His tentacles slithered fast towards her and snatched her up with one of his limbs. Kagome kicked and yelled at him to let her go, but her efforts were fruitless. He strengthened his hold on her and watched as her eyes became wide in horror. He smiled as he noticed her breathing was becoming labored and his smile grew even wider as her breath had finally escaped her she was no longer conscious; alive, but unconscious. Pleased with him self and his new bait, he withdrew his remaining arms away from their individual battles and once again took on his humanoid form. He held Kagome in his arms as Inuyasha came barreling through the trees and drew his sword at Naraku.

"Let her go Naraku or I'll slice you in half!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Inuyasha", Naraku said coyly, "I've told you before that if you keep day dreaming about our undead miko that you would lose yet another person you love, don't say I didn't warn you." With that Naraku disappeared in his barrier, leaving behind an angry, worried Inuyasha, cursing himself.

"Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have left Kagome alone. I don't even want to think about what he's going to use her for!" He turned and looked at his friends with determination in his eyes. Miroku looked away in shame for it had been his fault that Kagome had been taken. If only he hadn't fallen asleep. Sango patted Miroku on the back trying to reassure him. Without another delay Inuyasha sprinted off yelling behind him. "Let's get going, there's no telling where he took Kagome!"

With these words, he and the others ran off in the direction in which Naraku had left, all the while Inuyasha continued to curse himself under his breath.

* * *

The Lord of the Western lands walked almost serenely with light footsteps that were nearly inaudible. His small group had been walking aimlessly trying to find any trace of Naraku; there was a vendetta that needed to be settled. Behind him, Rin hummed a tune while she swung her legs over the side of the two-headed dragon Ah-Un. The toad servant mumbled incoherently about pathetic humans, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

Sesshoumaru came to an abrupt halt as his senses picked up on the thing he had been looking for. Not noticing his lord had stopped, Jaken absent mindedly collided with the backside of his lord's leg. Quick to recover, Jaken began bowing over and again, begging his apologies. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly at the servant before turning his attention back to where he had been looking.

"Hm, he has let his barrier down. Interesting," Sesshoumaru thought aloud.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, are we setting up camp here? May I go pick flowers?" Rin asked innocently.

The demon lord glanced at his young ward from the corner of his eye and then looked straight ahead again before replying. "Do as you wish Rin, but stay close to Jaken and behave."

The little girl clapped her hands together and bowed slightly before running towards a nearby patch of flowers. _'What is it with her and flowers?' _thought Sesshoumaru.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said sharply.

"Yes milord?" replied the toad.

"Take Rin and set up camp," the dog lord commanded. "Oh and Jaken…"

The toad demon hesitated to answer, knowing full well that when his name was said as such it implied nothing but pain in store for him. "Y-yes Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"If anything should happen to her while I'm gone, your life will be forfeit."

With that the stoic lord swiftly left, leaving behind a singing human girl, and an utterly terrified toad servant.

Although the demon lord always kept a cool composure and his face emotionless, his insides were burning with fury at the thought of Naraku. Too many times before had Naraku compromised Sesshoumaru's pride. Yes, that was two times too many and the evil half-breed's existence was no longer necessary. Sesshoumaru would make sure to rid himself of this burden. It did not go unmentioned that Naraku sought the death of Inuyasha. No one except for Sesshoumaru would take the life of his half-brother, not if he had anything to say about it. That right was reserved for him and him alone.

This time would be different; there will be no escaping his wrath. With all that he had, Sesshoumaru quickened his pace as he ran towards the stench of the evil half-breed. To any human eye, he looked like nothing but a streak of light as he ran.

Yes, this time would definitely be different.

* * *

**_Well there you have it, the first chapter to my first fanfic. Please feel free to review and let me know what you think! Thank you for reading _**

* * *


	2. Naraku's Plan

What registered in her mind first was the fact that the castle reeked of demons both alive and dead. She was in a stuffy and dry room that was almost pitch black. No sunlight came through the windows, only the deep purple glow of the surrounding miasma. This is where she woke up, not remembering completely what had transpired over the past couple of days. She was weak and her body ached from head to toe as she hesitantly tried to move her limbs, but soon became aware that she no longer held control over them. She looked down at her feet and noticed shackles around her ankles and looking towards her hands, which were slightly above her head, she saw that they as well were confined by chains. As Kagome pieced together where she was her anger stirred; Naraku had taken her from her friends, but she'd be damned if she didn't find a way to escape.

She darted her eyes around the room, finally resting on a figure in the corner furthest from her. Because of the lack of light the figure was but a shadow, but she knew all too well who it was that was staring in her direction, if the glowing red eyes gave anything away.

"You won't get away with this Naraku, Inuyasha will pick up your scent easy, and then you'll be sorry!" yelled Kagome.

Naraku smirked at the outburst, all too aware of the priestess's fiery temper. He did not let her comment faze him in the least. "So, you're awake I see," he taunted. "Good, you are of no use to me unconscious."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him in disgust. "What do you want with me, why are you keeping me here?!" she spat.

"I would hold my tongue if I were you; you are in no position to be asking me questions!" Naraku snapped.

She looked at him with all the hatred and anger in her eyes that she could call on, taking a page out of Inuyasha's half-brother, Sesshoumaru's book. Unfortunately for her, he merely smiled at chuckled softly at her and shook his head slightly. She looked around the room again as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and saw that they were not the only occupants there. Close by the doorway stood a young girl with white hair and dark ebony eyes. Her skin was so pale it almost seemed transparent and inn her grasp she held a mirror. Her tiny fingers looked as if they threatened to lose their grip around it because she looked so frail it seemed a chore for her to hold the mirror.

Kagome recognized that mirror and she struggled a little more in her restraints. "I'm telling you, LET ME GO!!!" Kagome yelled.

"Your voice is becoming tiresome; you'll keep quiet if you know what's good for you" threatened Naraku casually as if he were having a conversation with an old friend.

"Like I'm afraid of you, you're someone who would never sully his own hands!" retorted Kagome without missing a beat. She almost lost some of her fight when he sneered at her; it was a frightening sight.

Quickly losing his patience with her, Naraku motioned for the white haired girl. "Kanna, keep the girl quiet," he ordered. Without wavering, the small pale girl steadily approached Kagome who remained chained in the corner of the large, dark room. Kagome realized suddenly that the shackles were most likely in place to keep her from using her purification powers, for she could feel them wanting to come out to defend her, but was unable to unleash them fully.

Kanna walked up to Kagome and held the mirror in front of her. Kagome flinched a bit and squeezed her eyes shut, but after a moment opened them again when nothing happened. Kanna lowered the mirror down in front of her slowly and turned back towards where Naraku sat.

With no emotion in her voice she spoke to her master. "The girl's soul is too big for the mirror; we have already failed at this attempt once before."

Naraku let out a growl and an exasperated sigh. He had almost forgotten about that night over a year and a half ago when he had tried to steal Kagome's soul from her. It was that night he realized that there was more to the young priestess than met the eye. Naraku stood up and gracefully walked towards Kagome; his eyes filled with malice at his effortlessly thwarted attempt to silence her.

"You will shut that mouth of yours or I will shut it for you," Naraku said blatantly.

"Just try it! You think you're so hot, so why did you chain me up? Are you afraid of me?" Kagome replied with a sneer.

"Such impudence," was his only comeback. He felt he was losing his touch when that was all he could supply. However, never one to give up so easily, Naraku lifted his chin when he thought of a way to taunt the young priestess. "It is no wonder why Inuyasha continues to choose the walking dead over one such as you. You don't seem to know you place."

Before Kagome could retort, Naraku flung his hand out at her and wrapped it around her throat. Her eyes widened as she struggled for breath, but without the use of her arms to try and ward off her attacker she soon began to see black spots in front of her eyes as a result of her lack of oxygen.

Naraku leaned in close to her, resting his mouth close to her ear and he tightened his grip a little more around her small throat. "I could be the one to teach you of your place," he said with no subtle hint of hunger. Kagome turned her head as much as she could towards him and he smirked at her, thinking she would easily come to his side. He did not expect her to spit in his face.

Using his other hand, Naraku back handed her across the face before wiping off the spit on his cheek. Kagome gave out a whimper. She felt as though her body was too heavy for her to hold upright and she slumped downward, which made catching her breath even more difficult. Naraku reluctantly let go of her neck while Kagome struggled to take in so much needed air.

"Care to defy me again, Kagome?" Naraku whispered in her ear before grabbing a hold of her chin to make her face him.

She wanted nothing more than to claw his eyes out with her dull nails when he laid his disgusting hands on her, but thinking better of her situation she kept quiet and shook her head 'no'. Naraku gifted her with a devilish grin before retreating back to his corner of the empty room. "That's a good little priestess," he chided her. With her pride hurt, Kagome sunk as low as she could in her shackles and against the wall, willing herself not to cry in front of him.

"Stupid girl," Naraku continued to taunt her. "You are just as stubborn as Kikyo is, and look what she has been reduced to: walking through life, living off the souls of dead women. You would be wise to do as you are told from now on."

Although she didn't want to admit it, especially to the likes of Naraku, Kagome was frightened for her life. Up until this point she had not realized how helpless she was, but without her bow and arrows and her hands and feet being shackled, she did not have much of a choice other than to comply, lest she face much more dire consequences.

'_Oh gods what did I get myself into? Right now I don't care who helps me out of this! Inuyasha…Kouga…hell, even Sesshoumaru!' _she thought desperately. _'Anyone!'_

* * *

Days went by without a single trace of Naraku or Kagome and the group of shard hunters grew increasingly frantic. Shippou had cried the first couple nights through due to his worry for her. For once Inuyasha didn't bother him with little arguments and truth be told, even tried to comfort the young fox kit with short hunting and fishing trips. Sango had been quiet and beside herself with concern for her friend. In fact, Kagome was her best friend, and that night that she was taken from her she could only stand by helplessly while Kagome screamed in fear. It was a moment that she vowed she would never let happen again.

Miroku, although miserable in his own right, had done his best to console the group and keep them light hearted and optimistic. He managed to bring a small-very small- smile to everyone's face when he groped Sango, and was quickly punished with a half-hearted slap that echoed through the forest. However, the slightly lighter atmosphere did not last long, and as much as they tried to relax Inuyasha he remained on edge, consistently beating himself up for not being there to protect Kagome like he had told her so many times he would.

'_If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive myself,'_ Inuyasha thought self loathingly.

* * *

As night once again encroached upon them they stopped their continuously fruitless search for their friend to set up camp. They were going to be even more so on edge tonight as Inuyasha had succumbed to his human side for the new moon. With Naraku still nowhere to be found, they had to keep their eyes and ears open for anything. No one would get much sleep that night. The tension each had been feeling lingered in the air as they sat in silence around the fire, each lost in their own thoughts. Shippou had curled up next to Kirara and had finally succumbed to sleep after days of going without. Sango was gently stroking the young kit's hair while he slept, trying to be as much a comfort to him as possible. Across the fire, Miroku absently played with the prayer beads around his hand, looking up every now and then to give Sango a comforting smile which she at times returned. Inuyasha had dosed off a couple of times only to wake with a start after a couple of minutes each time.

As the night went on the soft breeze that had been calmly giving off a soothing noise as it shifted through the bows of the trees suddenly stopped. The forest around them grew quiet and the silence soon permeated the group's camp. Inuyasha was the first to open his eyes at the sudden halt of sound. He had not been completely asleep and when the forest became mute he instantly went on alert and reached out with his dull human senses as much as he could, trying to pick up on anything that would give reason for the sudden change of the atmosphere. Miroku lifted himself off the ground with the help of his staff and looked off into the forest surrounding them. Sango lifted herself up into a sitting position from where she was laying near Shippou and gazed at the opposite direction of the monk. Something just didn't seem right. Eventually all of them were on their feet silently trying to will the wind back to normal so that they could continue getting the rest that they all needed.

"Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up. "You should stay hidden, if someone sees you in this state, they may not hesitate to kill you."

"Feh, like I'm afraid of some lowly demon seeing me, I can take them on even in this form," Inuyasha gloated proudly.

Shippou had been roused awake by the others talking and yawned big before beginning to ask what the ruckus was for. When he heard Inuyasha's proud comment, he rolled his eyes and lay down again on his back to stare at the night sky. Something twinkled off in the distance of the sky and caught the young fox kit's attention. It, whatever _it_ was, seemed to be coming closer to them at an extremely rapid pace.

"Wha-what is that?" Shippou asked as he pointed up in the sky.

The others, having just noticed that Shippou was awake, looked in the direction to where Shippou was pointing. Miroku looked questioningly at the approaching entity before turning to Inuyasha with a worried look on his face.

"I don't think that this is some lowly demon," he interjected. "This demonic aura is indeed very strong. It would be best if you take cover."

"I'm not fucking hiding! What the hell is wrong with you guys?! I've taken on strong demons before!" Inuyasha scolded his friends as his hand clenched the hilt of his temporarily useless sword.

"Please Inuyasha, hide yourself. You won't do anybody any good if you are dead! Think about Kagome, she needs you!" Sango pleaded with him.

Inuyasha pursed his lips, but with a huff he hesitantly sprang towards a nearby bush and ducked behind it. _'I can't believe I've been reduced to hiding in the fucking bushes. Damn I hate being human!' _He crouched low as the entity began its decent upon their camp. It struck down before the group as if it were a bolt of lightning, shaking the inhabitants of the small camp. Inuyasha glared at the being and a low human growl came from his chest as he looked upon it.

"Sesshoumaru," he snarled.

* * *

Night had fallen again before she slowly opened her eyes. Naraku had been brutal in his testing of her holy powers over the last few days and had not allowed her to sleep while only giving her enough food to keep her from starving to death. She could not see herself, but Kagome knew that she looked more pale than usual. The darkness of the room never let up although she knew very well the days were passing on as they normally would, even without her.

As his "special tests", Naraku would send some of his lower level demons at her in attempts to find the limits of her miko powers, even through the shackles. A couple of days ago she had finally been able to release some of her spiritual powers that had been all but dormant inside of her. As long as she stayed alert she could fend them off and one by one the demons disintegrated before they even made it a foot near her. However, as time went on and the tests didn't stop, Kagome was beginning to feel the aftershocks of all the strenuous activity upon her person and her power. Naraku had even continued trying to break her by endlessly telling her that her friends were not coming to save her. After all, who would want the reincarnation when they could just as easily invoke the help ok Kikyo? It was a hard thing to hear and after a few days of listening to it, even Kagome's iron will was beginning to crumble. As low a tactic is was for him to use, Naraku made a very good point.

At one point during her captivity she had seen Naraku lose his cool composure and it was not a pretty sight. It happened when he discovered that she did not have the jewel shards he was looking for in her possession and she was in no hurry to tell him where they were. When he tried to approach and strike out at her, her miko powers flared to life by themselves instinctively and had singed his hand along with half of his arm. With her out of reach to strike, Naraku turned at took his abuse out on the unfortunate demon servant standing near the door.

Kagome closed her eyes tight as the demon slid to the floor with a sickening plop. As awful as that had been to witness, it was not the worst of his tantrums. For whatever reason Naraku was in a foul mood and Kagome absolutely did not want to find out why. He left the room and started to walk down the hall, where he thought would be out of hearing distance from his captive priestess, but Kagome strained her ears trying to over-hear what the two people in the corridor were discussing and also took the time alone to relax a little and close her tired, bloodshot eyes.

"Everything is prepared Naraku, the demons have all been summoned and they are on their way," she heard Kagura explain.

"Excellent, it's all coming together then. We have our bait, we have the place, and soon Inuyasha and his group will meet their demise and I'll be rid of that half-breed once and for all," Naraku laughed. "I trust you didn't have problems luring the demons this way?"

"Not at all, they were more than willing to come here, especially with the promise of jewel shards to the winner," Kagura said.

This caught Kagome's attention. _'Jewel shards? Why would Naraku give away his jewel shards? It doesn't make any sense' _shethought. _'What a minute…winner? What does she mean by win- Oh Kami, it's a trap! They're purposefully going to lure Inuyasha here, and I must be bait! I can't let them ambush him; I gotta get out of here!'_

Kagome tried desperately to find anything of use that would help her escape. Her bow and arrows were nowhere to be found, and she couldn't break loose from the chains that bound her. Add to the fact that she was so weak from Naraku's constant games it was a labor just to keep her eyes open. She cringed when the chains clanged together loudly and closed her eyes in hopes that they didn't hear her. However, Kagome heard the two voices became silent and held her breath when she perceived quickened footsteps heading her way. The door to the room flew opened to reveal a glaring Naraku and Kagome felt her blood run cold.

"Exactly how much of that did you hear priestess?" Naraku questioned a fearful Kagome.

"I-I don't know what you're talking abo-"

"-DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME! HOW MUCH DID YOU HEAR?!" he screamed.

Kagome smashed herself against the wall and didn't dignify him with a response; which may or may not have been her best idea. Naraku all but ran over to her, ignoring the tingle of her power as he hit her across the head with something hard. She only had enough time to close her eyes and turn her head away from him before he struck and she was rendered unconscious.

Naraku was angry with himself for letting her hear about his plan. If some how or another she was able to spiritually contact the members of the misfit group, then all of his planning would have been for naught. He flew out of the room determined to get his plan moving faster; this would be over and done with! He was tired of toying with them, this time, Inuyasha and all of his enemies would die!

* * *

The campsite was in awed silence as the demon lord swept a claw neatly through his hair and flicked it over his shoulder. His pristinely white clothing was illuminated even more than usual against the contrasting dark sky and the soft glow of the flickering fire. He looked over the occupants of the camp and narrowed his eyes when he noticed an absent member. Before the blink of an eye he streaked across to the bush that was hiding the human Inuyasha and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him into the air. Inuyasha grit his teeth together both in pain and frustration, willing him self not to cry out and saw Sesshoumaru snarl in disgust. Without warning the demon lord dropped Inuyasha to the ground, leaving a seething half-demon rubbing his neck.

"What the hell was that for Sesshoumaru?!" yelled Inuyasha while rising to his feet.

"Little brother, it seems that you can be of no use to me after all tonight," the demon lord replied stoically as he looked Inuyasha up and down.

"What are you gettin' at anyway, why would I help YOU?" Inuyasha spat.

"Naraku lifted his barrier long enough for This Sesshoumaru to sense him. However, it seems he has once again decided to mask his scent. I had hoped for once you would be useful, but clearly you wouldn't have been able to smell him even if you wanted to… pathetic," Sesshoumaru taunted.

"You're the idiot who sensed him and then went and lost it! Don't come blaming me for your mistakes!" raged Inuyasha.

"It would be wise not to provoke This Sesshoumaru, unless you seek an early grave, Inuyasha," the dog lord replied with the narrowing of his eyes.

Miroku sensed the rising tension between the two brothers and decided to step in before Sesshoumaru decided Inuyasha had lived long enough. "Now, now gentleman, let's not be hasty," he pleaded. "We're just as anxious to find Naraku, we…"

"Hold your place monk; I have no desire to share commonalities with humans such as yourselves." Sesshoumaru glanced around the small camp and narrowed his eyes once more. "It seems, Inuyasha, that you lack a comrade. Where is your wench?"

"Like I need to explain anything to you, you bastard! Mind your own damn business!" Inuyasha huffed. "She ain't my wench anyway," he added quietly.

Sesshoumaru wanted very badly to slit the throat of Inuyasha right there and then. Perhaps the most essential member of their wretched group was now in Naraku's grasp thanks to the short-comings of the half-breed. The priestess would indeed be an invaluable asset against Naraku and it was more than apparent that she was no longer safe in the incapable hands of Inuyasha. Once he retrieved her from the evil half-demon, Sesshoumaru would make certain that she received the training and protection that she needed until the time came to face-off with Naraku.

Sesshoumaru smirked minutely and nodded his head and voiced his understanding of his brother's outburst. "How shameful it is, that you cannot watch over those under your care little brother. Once again you have disgraced our family's name. When you are once again able to wield your sword, however feebly, we shall meet again," promised Sesshoumaru. Just as quick as he came, he was gone again and out of their lives…for now.

"Damn him, just who the hell does he think he is anyway?! I can't believe he got a scent of Naraku and still managed to lose him! That bastard has the nerve to call me pathetic!" Inuyasha vented.

"There's no sense in getting all worked up right now Inuyasha," Sango said. "Besides, we know now that Naraku is around here somewhere, it's just a matter of time before we run into him or any of his incarnations, especially if we're getting close. It wouldn't hurt to have another person on our side."

Inuyasha gaped like a fish at Sango's comment. "On…on our side?! What the hell is wrong wi-"

"Sango's right Inuyasha, Lord Sesshoumaru is a formidable foe and it would be beneficial to not get on his bad side. Now, let's try and get some sleep. I have a feeling we have a long day ahead of us," Miroku chimed.

Inuyasha agreed that he would try and get some rest, but his thoughts were still lingering with Kagome, wherever she was. Guilt consumed him; he loved Kikyo with all of his being, she was his first love, the first person to talk to him like he wasn't a monster. She had comforted him and he in return comforted her; made her feel special. When she decided to grace Inuyasha with her presence and then leave once again, now only to be absent for over a month, she took a piece of his heart with her and it had ached to look at the girl who so much resembled her: Kagome. Every time he looked in those eyes he could see traces of Kikyo. He knew that they were two very different people in spirit; they had two completely different personalities, and were each in their own right, beautiful. As much as he tried to remember that, it always came back to the same problem. Kagome would never be Kikyo, no matter how much he wanted it to be so.

It was Inuyasha's hurting that made him unable to look at Kagome, and consequently it was his hurting that had allowed such a great opening for Naraku to take her from him. He gently touched his cheek and brought his hand to his face. He had unknowingly shed a tear while his thoughts overwhelmed him.

"Damn these human emotions, I feel so fucking weak and useless," Inuyasha mumbled begrudgingly. "While I'm sitting here, wallowing in my own self pity, Naraku has Kagome and doing fucking knows what to her."

Sinking further into the tree behind him, he sat crossed legged and with his hands in the sleeves of his coat. He fought his eyes to stay open, but exhaustion took over his human body and he gently fell asleep. His dreams were unpleasant as visions of Kikyo and Kagome in the possession of Naraku haunted him while he slept. Sango and Miroku looked over at him with sad expressions on their faces, knowing that he out of all of them, was the one was hurting the most at this time. Sango rested her head on Miroku's shoulder and eventually fell asleep. Shippou, still curled up next to Kirara, fell asleep just after Sesshoumaru departed, and Miroku kept a silent vigil over his friends, repeating silent prayers that they would make it to their lost friend in time.

* * *

Naraku's castle and its residents had all felt the fury of their master as he stormed passed them in the hallways. Naraku's drug his hands along the walls on both sides of him and his claws left gaping slits in the wall paneling as he walked. Any of his minions that happened to be in the way at the time were quickly impaled without a second thought or remorse. Naraku prided himself of being one in control of his emotions, however slight they may be. But that girl, Kagome, she brought out the worst in him. He decided there and then to be sure to rid himself of the encumbrance that was the young priestess. Naraku stormed about the castle looking for his vassal Kanna; the plan would commence first thing in the morning!

* * *

Well rested, Inuyasha and his group set out once again in search of their friend. He had taken the time to calculate the days gone by and had found that it had been almost two weeks since Naraku had taken her and they were getting even more worried as the days went on when they still found no trace of her. Inuyasha barreled through the trees with Shippou was perched on his shoulders looking out into the forest, keeping his senses as wide open as he possibly could. Shippou puffed up his chest and kept his chin up, determined to find _something_ that would lead them to Kagome. Over the past few days, Shippou had done a lot of growing up and started to look much adult like in the process. Sango and Miroku trailed behind, Kirara balanced on Sango's shoulder much like Shippou was on Inuyasha. The two humans were idly chatting away to pass the time while never closing their senses to any hint they could find.

"It's good to see Inuyasha look like himself again, I was starting to worry that he was losing hope," Sango whispered to Miroku.

The monk nodded his head in agreement. "Indeed, he does seem to be very adamant that we are going to find Kagome today, it's nice to know some of his gusto is back," he replied.

"I've just been so worried about Kagome; I mean how much can one person take being in the hands of someone like Naraku? We don't even know if she's alive still," Sango sighed, keeping her unshed tears at bay.

Miroku sensed Sango's inner turmoil and gently placed his arm over her shoulders in comfort. "There, there Sango, it'll be alright. I don't think Naraku took her to kill her; it would have been pointless since he could've just killed her on the spot that night. He's using her for something, I just know it. She's probably of more use to him alive than dead. I don't think he'd accomplish anything if he'd killed her."

A little of the tension that was present in her shoulders left her then and she leaned a bit more into Miroku's embrace. "You're probably right, we just need to find her already, I'm getting sick of this! Naraku is despicable; he deserves to suffer in all seven levels of hell," she retorted hotly, hands balled into fists at her sides while she glared ahead of her.

'_She looks quite stunning when she's angry,' _thought Miroku. He squeezed his hand into a fist a couple of times and then let his grasp go again as if trying to reach a decision.

Sango's face turned bright red and she froze in her tracks. She brought her fist up in front of her and reeled back towards Miroku. "Pervert!" she screamed as her fist collided with his head, leaving a big, throbbing bump where her fist had made contact with his skull.

"It…was…worth it," he breathed out trying to lift himself from the ground with the help of his staff. Sango marched off, leaving the beaten monk to his own devices but although he could not see it, Sango had a small grin on her face as she continued to walk towards Inuyasha. After hearing the knock-out punch that Sango gave Miroku, Inuyasha also allowed him self to smile a little also, subconsciously aware that the monk was trying to lighten the mood, and bless him, it worked some. The group made their way through the forest, intent on keeping a strong pace. Inuyasha stopped suddenly and sniffed the air; he began to growl lowly in his throat while the others looked at him in confusion.

"What is it Inuyasha?" asked Shippou from his perch.

"Rrrr, I smell wolf. This is NOT what I need right now!" exclaimed Inuyasha as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"Yes, Kouga will definitely not be happy to know that Kagome has been taken by Naraku, he will no doubt try and start a quarrel with you in order to seek retribution," Miroku explained with a sigh as he came to stand next to Inuyasha.

As if on cue, a funnel cloud swept upon them, while bits of dust and debris littered the ground around them. The whirlwind slowly dissipated to reveal a gruff looking wolf demon with thick black hair and dark eyes and skin. He wore fur representing fallen comrades around his waist and a brown headband with matching wristbands. His tail swung idly back and forth as he looked at the group with his hands proudly on his hips, while standing as tall as he could manage.

"Hey mutt-face," Kouga greeted the half-demon.

"What do you want you flea bag?!" Inuyasha responded on edge.

"I came to check up on MY woman," Kouga answered as he glanced around the group. Upon noticing that 'his' woman was nowhere to be seen among the group he narrowed his eyes and glowered at Inuyasha threateningly. "Where's Kagome dog-breath! If something happened to her, I will kill you!"

"Kagome was taken by Naraku almost a full week ago. We still haven't been able to find her!" cried Shippou.

Inuyasha turned and gave Shippou a menacing look. "Shippou…" he threatened. Shippou gulped and quickly vacated his perch to hide behind Sango.

"WHAT!!!" yelled Kouga. "You mean you let her get taken by that miserable excuse for a demon?! What the hell is wrong with you Inuyasha, how could you be so careless with my woman!"

"Calm down Kouga," Miroku tried to placate, "Naraku crept into our camp one night and took her before we could get to her. It was practically an ambush."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Kouga screamed as he pointed an accusing finger toward Inuyasha. "And where were you this whole time?! You were the one _supposed_ to be protecting her!"

"Rrrrr, I WAS IN THE WOODS, OKAY!" Inuyasha snapped quickly.

Kouga took a faltering step backwards at Inuyasha's admission. He quickly gained his bearings and rounded on the half-demon. "You IDIOT! _I'm_ going to find Kagome, and when I do, _I'll_ never leave her with you again! You've put her in danger too many times, she'll be better off with me!" Kouga snapped back.

Before any of the group could intervene, the young wolf lord sped off as quickly as he came and left the group with their mouths hanging open. Inuyasha snarled and turned back to continue their journey. His foul mood radiated off of him, and no one made a motion to talk to him in fear of getting maimed. Hours continued to pass by and still no sign that they were getting closer. The trees around them began to cast long shadows in their path indicating that the day was coming to a close.

"Damn! It's already starting to dark again, I thought for sure there would have been SOMETHING!" yelled the frustrated Inuyasha. He made small splinters of a couple surrounding trees in his are to help cast off some of his anger.

Miroku shook his head sadly before sitting down aside a tree that Inuyasha hadn't cut down. "I agree with you Inuyasha. What's taking Naraku so long to make his move? He's planning something sinister no doubt, and all we can do is wait for _him_ to decide when to let us in on the plan," he stated.

With a heavy sigh Sango dropped down next to Miroku and rested against the tree as well. "We might as well set up camp for the night, it doesn't look like we're going to find anything tonight," she said begrudgingly.

The group reluctantly set up camp and then each had their dinner and settled down for the night, taking turns keeping watch while the others slept. Inuyasha, after staying up most of the night, finally got his reprieve and shut his eyes for sleep while Sango took over watch. His dreams took a turn for the worst when he began seeing images of Kagome in Naraku's possession. He saw her chained against a bare wall in an almost empty room and watched as demons come after her. His dreams slowly became more of a nightmare when he saw Naraku approach her with a deadly look in his eyes and with a swift motion, hit her against her head and she fell into unconsciousness; to Inuyasha it looked as if she were dead. What surprised him in his sleep though was that Kagome's image turned into Kikyo and subconsciously began clenching his fists with the thought of Naraku's hands on the love of his life. The dreams startled him out of his sleep and he panted while he rubbed his hand across his forehead wiping away the perspiration that had accumulated while he dreamt. With a new resolve, he began clenching his sword, thinking of all the ways to make Naraku die a slow and painful death by his hands.

He sat up slowly and leapt from his spot in a nearby tree to land gracefully in front of Sango. She jumped, coming out of her sleep, and looked at him a bit surprised. She watched as he had a mental battle with himself before she finally broke the silence. "Inuyasha, what's wrong? You make thinking look like it hurts," she half-joked.

"I've been thinking," he replied seriously, ignoring her jab. "Don't you think it's strange that while we've been traveling looking for Naraku we haven't come across one single demon? It's as if they've all disappeared."

Sango furrowed her eyebrows and put her hand on her chin to tap a finger lightly against her cheek, pondering what he had said. "You're right, that is odd," she commented finally.

"What's odd?" Miroku asked with a wide yawn as he came out of his sleep. He sat up on his elbow from his position on the ground to look at them. He was in the middle of such a nice dream involving hot springs, Sango, and her nice round…

"Inuyasha just brought to my attention the fact that we haven't run into any demon within the past couple weeks," Sango explained, unknowingly interrupting Miroku's thoughts. "Do you think it has anything to do with Naraku, Inuyasha?"

"Hm, I wouldn't put it past him, he's sneaky and underhanded; no tellin' what he's up to," Inuyasha said disgustedly.

"Do you suppose Naraku's absence and the lack of demons are connected somehow? That perhaps he's building his body up again?" asked Sango.

"I have a feeling that it is more than that," Miroku interjected. "Even when Naraku was absorbing demons before, there had always been some demons still wandering about, yet we have not been across _any_ demons or incarnations. What if he is building up an army and all he's waiting for is the most opportune time to strike; when our defenses are down. With Kagome gone, he knows we'll be in search of her. I have a suspicion that he is baiting us into coming to look for him."

"Damn him. If it's a fight he wants, then it's a fight he'll get. No one kidnaps Kagome and gets away with it!" Inuyasha scowled.

"Naraku is tricky so we'd better be on our guards. There's no telling when he'll make himself known," Sango added. "I'll continue watch tonight; Inuyasha, you should at least try to get some sleep."

"Feh! I don't need as much rest as you weak humans, I'll be just fine!" Inuyasha pouted.

"Whatever, I'm getting some sleep then," Sango retorted.

The settled down for the night and each kept their senses open, even in their sleep. They new there was a battle coming up and they were going to be prepared. It remained unknown to them that a pair of amber eyes watched them in their camp and that the owner of those eyes had heard everything.

Sesshoumaru had already come the conclusions that Inuyasha's group had, but it did not deter him. He would never admit it aloud, but his interest in the missing priestess was becoming overwhelming. It was solely because she was the key in defeated Naraku…or so he kept telling himself. It had nothing to do with the fact that he reluctantly respected the girl for her bravery, however foolish she may have been at the time, nor was it for the fact that subconsciously sought out his half-brother's group for a mere glance at the girl with the strange, beautiful blue eyes and the pleasant scent.

The demon lord shook his head to dispel his current course of thought. It would not do for him to get distracted by such things when he was currently on a mission to find Naraku. As silently as he came, Sesshoumaru left the small motley crew to go back to his own.

* * *


	3. The Bait

**_Woo hoo, another chapter completed!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

"Wha…where am I?"

Kagome had finally come to weak, disoriented, and still unable to move her body. Her throbbing head felt like it was in a vice and she could swear that it had its own separate heartbeat. She was not sure how long had she been out and at first she couldn't remember where she was. The place she was in looked so dark that her eyes had to adjust to the lack of light. She scanned her surroundings slowly, taking everything she saw in. It was damp and cold and the windows were of almost no use in letting light through. The only thing that mimicked light was a dark shade of purple of the perpetual miasma. After a few moments of collecting her thoughts she let out a desperate sigh when she realized that she was still in the confines of Naraku's castle.

Her thoughts became desperate as she wished for a savior, but it seemed as though she would be waiting forever in hopes of someone finding her. _'This is awful, why hasn't anyone come yet?' _she thought. _'I don't know how much more of this I can take.'_

Tears started rolling down her cheek and with every drop she fell deeper into hopelessness. She couldn't tell how long she had been in Naraku's possession; the days seemed to melt together. All that she knew was that she had been captive far too long for her liking. She had also been rendered unconscious, a few more times than she thought necessary in her opinion, so she wasn't exactly sure how many days went by that she had failed to see. Thoughts of her friends, which once were so incredibly comforting in her position, were starting to come to her few and far between. She missed them greatly and she hoped that they were still alive and well. She missed Inuyasha and his pride; the way that he looked at her with a friendly love when he thought she wasn't watching. She missed Shippou and his loving embraces when he jumped upon her shoulders. She missed Sango and her undying friendship that they had developed; the nice long baths in the hot springs after a long journey. She missed Miroku and his perverted ways; the way that he made everyone laugh even when times got tough. She missed Kirara and her cute purrs and her adorable face. She missed and longed for them all.

She let her tears fall harder, thinking of her friends. When had everything gone so wrong? They had been happy, serene even. She could remember the day before she was taken, everything seemed so peaceful. They had continued on their quest for the jewel shards like normal. She watched as Inuyasha placed his hands behind his head and walked with pride in his step as he relaxed. That day seemed so long ago as she tried to remember more. At this point, she didn't care who came to her rescue, Kouga would even be a welcome site, and she would gladly put up with his possessiveness. She closed her eyes and gave a depreciating smile. _'Hell, I would even bow to Sesshoumaru if he got me out of here…maybe'_. As dreary as her situation was, that last thought made her giggle a little bit.

Kagome sighed audibly and was broken away from her inner musings as the sound of footsteps rang in her ears. She slowly opened her eyes and then heard the footsteps come to a stop. She could see through the thin paper doors two shadowed figures just outside the room. She recognized one of the shadowed figures standing outside of the room as Naraku, and then another smaller shadow appeared as she recognized the form of Kanna.

"…what about the girl?" she heard Kanna ask in her creepy and monotonous tone that never failed to send shivers down her spine.

"She can still be of some use to me," Naraku said. "Inuyasha is taking too long to find me; my barrier seems to have worked well this time, a little too well. Perhaps he needs some incentive to get him here faster. Dispatch Kagura, I will be in need of her shortly," he ordered.

Kagome then saw Kanna leave to do as she was told. Upon hearing their conversation Kagome searched the room hastily for something to help her undo her chains, but there was still nothing to be found in the barren room. She cringed when she heard Naraku slide open the door and look to where Kagome was sitting. His eyes grew dark and a malicious smile crept upon his lips.

"So you're awake? Too bad for you, this would've been easier on you if you had been unconscious. No matter, follow me," Naraku demanded. With a snap of his fingers, the manacles that had been binding her wrists and ankles evaporated into thin air. She looked at him inquisitively and glowered at him, keeping her place on the floor.

"You will follow willingly or you will be forced to do so. It is your choice," he said in a deadpan voice.

She thought about her options and came to a quick conclusion: she could either stay her ground and be choked again and rendered unconscious, or she could follow and hope that Inuyasha or _somebody_ would come quickly. Decision made, Kagome got up and steadied her shaky legs before following as she had been told. She looked around the castle as they walked trying hard to force the panic down she felt growing inside of her. Naraku kept behind her closely, not that she had much of a chance to escape anyway. They passed many rooms, most of which were sealed off, but some of which whose doors had been left open carelessly by the demon servants that occupied them. In the distance she heard the faint taunting of jeers and whistles and she steeled her nerves a bit more. The hallway was long and it seemed that no matter how far they walked, they didn't make any progress of movement, but soon he directed her to round a corner to the left and found a doorway being guarded negligently by two small lizard-looking demons. They glanced in her direction and upon seeing Naraku behind her they quickly bowed to him and opened the doorway which led to the front of the castle. Naraku led her to the outside of the doorway and wasted no time in throwing her in the soggy dirt of the front courtyard.

Kagome looked at him scathingly and spat the dirt from her mouth. A gust of wind came up and blew some of the dry surrounding dirt into her face once more. When the wind died down Kagura, the wind sorceress, stood in front of her no more than ten feet away. Her red eyes locked with Kagome's as she brought her fan up towards her head, shielding the bottom half of her face to hide her small smile. Naraku looked on with a bored expression; she always had to make such a 'grand' entrance.

"Kagura, if you're quite finished trying to show off, a little bait if you will," Naraku said in an annoyed tone as he rolled his eyes.

Kagura looked a little put out that her master had the gall to embarrass her in front of a lowly human such as Kagome. However, Kagome could have cared less about the entrance Kagura made, or the lack of awe that it produced. She had more important things to worry about, such as her safety at the moment. Naraku and his servants could go to hell for all she cared. Kagura stretched her arm out to her side and lifted it, along with the fan so that it was parallel to the ground.

"Nothing personal against you, Kagome, just doing my job," Kagura commented. She let her fan fall open with grace and brought it back behind her head before thrusting it forward towards Kagome.

"Dance of blades!" Kagura shouted.

Kagome looked up in horror as blades of wind came for her. They seemed to gracefully fly through the air, picking up speed as they flew. There were many of them and it was all Kagome could do to stand up and try running. Unfortunately, the blades were far too fast for her and one by one they began cutting deep into her flesh. The first blade pierced the back of her leg, leaving a deep gash on her thigh. She cried out a shriek of pain as another blade swept across her cheek, and yet another cut her on her side. The last blade that connected cut the side of her neck; it was then that the blades stopped coming and Kagome's world became wobbly. She felt warm thick liquid on her hands as she finally caught up with her thoughts. She brought her hands in front of her face and fell to the ground before clutching her leg as her blood spilled from the fresh wounds. Nothing had ever felt so excruciating to her before, it was an all consuming white hot pain that left bright flashes of light in front of her eyes. She could not even catch enough of a breath to scream her torment. Time seemed to slow down for her as she looked around at her surroundings. Her vision began to cut in and out and distinct figures started to become blurry. Kagome made a last ditch effort to take a deep breath of air as she felt darkness start to consume her.

"Someone…help…me," she whispered hoarsely just before her world went black. A wicked laughter could be heard across the courtyard of the castle as Naraku and his minions looked on in anticipation.

* * *

The group had been trying their best to keep their pace, they opted for running to cover more ground when Inuyasha had explained his dream to them, but exhaustion was once again beginning to take over the weary group. They had been running for hours, stopping only to drink water and for Sango and Miroku to switch off and on riding on Kirara. They still were unable to trace anything, and they all agreed that this was getting old, fast. Panting, they slowly came to a walking pace while Miroku put his hand on his shaky knees and bent over to catch his breath. Kirara gracefully landed on the ground and Sango hopped off allowing the demon cat to transform into her small body in order for her to rest. Inuyasha skidded to a halt and looked back at them. With a huff he walked over to them and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Gettin' slow already, Miroku?" Inuyasha taunted. "We've got a lot more ground to cover so get your old man body movin'."

"Very funny Inuyasha," panted Miroku, "but I must say that had I not stopped you would probably be carrying me right now."

"Feh, like I'd carry you, you'd have an easier time convincing Sango to let you touch her ass," Inuyasha said tastelessly. Sango glared at Inuyasha and then let her gaze shift to meet Miroku's. He looked as if he were deep in thought with his finger gently tapping his cheek and one eyebrow raised.

"Don't even think about it monk!" Sango warned him, clenching her fist so he knew she meant business. Miroku shrugged his shoulders and began walking again but then suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked around him. He tried to pinpoint what he felt, so he closed his eyes and stretched his arm out in front of him with his fingertips facing the sky. He moved slowly in circles, trying to find the source of his uneasiness. Sango, Inuyasha, Shippou, and Kirara looked on at him trying to figure out what caused his sudden apprehension.

"It appears as if Naraku has lowered his barrier, I can sense his strong demonic aura. However, I'm having a hard time locking it," Miroku explained with furrowed brows.

Inuyasha's head snapped up after a couple of minutes and he allowed a small growl to escape from his throat. He lifted his nose to the air and took a deep breath. He caught the very faint scent of freshly spilled blood and the scent of his enemy, Naraku. His heart pounded as his olfactory senses registered with his brain that the scent of the blood was one he knew all too well. It was that of Kagome.

"I smell Naraku and I smell fresh blood," he scowled. "Come on guys, we had better get moving, Kagome's in trouble!" He quickly resumed his sprint, leaving the others behind to comprehend what had just happened. Miroku, Sango, and Shippou quickly hopped onto the once again transformed Kirara and took off after the half-demon. Sango hurried Kirara's pace as they made their way closer to Inuyasha. He held the look of fear and determination on his face while he ran towards her scent.

'_Damn it to hell, why do I keep doing this to her?! I swear if she dies…no, I can't think like that, she's not going to die, I'll make sure of it!' _Inuyasha assured himself and continued on his way.

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru?! Lord Sesshoumaru?! Where are you milord," squeaked the small toad demon desperately. When he could find neither hide nor hair of his glorious master, Jaken turned to what he believed was the source of his problems. "Rrrr, this is all your fault Rin! You bother our lord with too many questions and songs, he's probably left us for good this time!" the toad cried.

"Please master Jaken, don't be upset," pleaded the young ward. "Lord Sesshoumaru will be back; he always comes back for us, you'll see."

Completely ignoring her, the toad demon continued his ranting, his eyes filled with tears. He walked a little ways before falling to his hands and knees and bowed his head down, tears shaking his tiny body. "Lord Sesshoumaru you fool, I am your servant! How could you just leave me?! It's not my fault you allow a human girl to follow along with us!" he bellowed.

Without warning Jaken was smashed in the ground by a foot resting upon his head. It held him there for a few seconds before it was forcefully withdrawn. The little toad looked up in anger and then surprise as he recognized the figure in front of him as that of his Lord Sesshoumaru. The demon lord was glaring down at him with narrowed eyes and a calm but threatening face.

"Jaken," said the dog demon, "why is it you feel the need to insult me when not in my presence?"

"L-L-Lord Sesshoumaru?! Please forgive this lowly Jaken, I was merely frustrated that you had left me behind once again!" the servant exclaimed as he bowed profusely.

"I do not need your permission to leave, nor do I need to explain my actions to you. You are _my_ servant and as such, you should know your station," Sesshoumaru said without compassion. Before the toad could answer further, the demon lord snapped his head up and turned it quickly to the side. He closed his eyes and took in a small breath before opening his eyes again to slits. He pursed his lips ever so slightly and quickly slipped on his mask of indifference once again.

'_That smell is familiar, where have I come across it before?' _Sesshoumaru pondered._ 'There's another scent entwined with it that I am positive belongs to Naraku.'_

He stayed silent for a minute while he thought on this new development. Naraku's barrier seemed to have weakened immensely, allowing the vile scent to once again overwhelm him. Unlike the other times however, the scent did not seem to be fading and Sesshoumaru immediately took this as the invitation he had been waiting for. But what of that scent of blood he smelled?

"Hn, I see that blood belongs to that human girl that travels with Inuyasha. Naraku must be using her as bait to lure him in as well," he stated to no one in particular. _'No matter, Naraku's life is in my hands, I will be the one to end his residency in the world of the living.'_

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Are you going to be leaving us again?" Rin asked innocently.

"Indeed. However, you will have Ah-Un and Jaken in your company. I trust that is sufficient?" he asked looking down at her.

"Oh yes Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin replied with a toothy grin. "Please return to us soon!" she added as she ran off to play with the two-headed dragon.

"Hn. Jaken…" Sesshoumaru started.

"Yes milord?" replied the toad servant.

"I will be gone a number of days. See to it that Rin is well kept, do not leave her side," he commanded.

"Y-yes milord," Jaken replied in defeat. The poor toad grudgingly walked back towards the child with his head hung to the ground.

Glowing a bright white, the demon lord, Sesshoumaru collapsed his form into a glowing orb of light and left the camp. In this form, he was able to travel great distances in a short amount of time. This was not his preferred form of travel; usually he took to the skies on top of his demon cloud. But however more comfortable the cloud may be, it was nonetheless slower in his journeys and therefore more of an inconvenience to his goal of reaching Naraku before his brother did, or before Naraku decided to hide himself again.

'_That girl's scent of blood bothers me more than I care to admit,' Sesshoumaru admitted to himself. 'She is indeed an enigma. How is it that one so petite harbors such extensive powers? Not many humans can capture this Sesshoumaru's attention, and yet I now have two humans that have done so. Inuyasha is a fool if he cannot even protect a small woman, yet he thinks to try and defeat a being such as Naraku? It is indeed laughable.'_

Sesshoumaru had no desire to think further upon the young miko whose blood had soaked his senses. _'It is out of simple curiosity that I have thought of her _this_ much'_. Yes, simply curiosity.

* * *

Two wolf brothers, who had been giving chase to their leader earlier on in the day, now rested against the bark of a massive tree panting. They slumped as low as they could without lying down in an effort to regain some of their energy but still give the impression of being alert. The one on the left, Ginta, wiped the back of his hand across his brow and shut his eyes. Hakkaku, the other wolf demon, laid his arms to the sides of him in a most undignified manner with his palms facing the sky. They had been chasing their pack leader, Kouga, for the majority of the week, and with each rest he put even more distance between himself and them.

"Man Ginta, I don't know why we even bother chasing after him sometimes, it's not like we ever catch up to him," Hakkaku complained.

"Yeah I know, but we are his right and left hand men; although we rarely see battle ourselves I think that he appreciates the thought at least," Ginta declared smugly. The two brothers closed their eyes in relaxation, but were soon startled out of their break.

"Oi! What do you think you two are doing lying down on the job, we've got work to do!" yelled Kouga who had just sprinted back to them after realizing they were no longer in sight.

"Sorry Kouga, we tried to keep up, you're just too fast for us," Ginta explained.

"Yeah, we just needed a short break; we were just getting up to start again when you came here," said Hakkaku as he discretely gestured for Ginta to follow his lead and rise from the ground. Both standing now, they waited for their leader to give them the next series of orders on finding Naraku. However, instead of looking at them, Kouga had his nose held high in the air. He took in a deep breath and then another; and as if not believing what he had smelled, he allowed himself one final inhale before snapping his head towards his comrades.

"The bastard has Kagome and he's using her blood as bait! I'll kill him!" Kouga screamed.

Hakkaku and Ginta looked at each other in disbelief at the realization their 'sister' was in trouble. Kouga gave an angry howl before once again sprinting off at lightning speed, this time, with the knowledge of where to go. Ginta and Hakkaku did not need orders to understand where he was going. They only briefly hesitated while their bodies caught up with their brains before taking up after him once again. Their 'sister' was in trouble, and that is all they needed to know!

"Kouga is almost a force to be reckoned with when Kagome is concerned," Hakkaku panted as they ran.

"You're right, he's never in his right mind when she's in trouble, and he goes into battle blindly. I hope he doesn't get himself killed!" replied Ginta.

The two gave each other knowing glances and then hardened their faces before turning their eyes back towards where they were going. Into the horizon went the two wolf brothers, following along as best as they could after a whirlwind named Kouga.

* * *

Naraku watched as his bait succumbed to unconsciousness once more, a smile teasing his lips with the thought of the upcoming battle. He knew now that he had weakened his barrier, Inuyasha would be there in no time to seek revenge for kidnapping his wench. He had almost been disappointed to know that even though his barrier was not very strong before, Inuyasha had not been able to pick up on his scent. He really didn't want to have to do more work than necessary to get him here, but apparently he had underestimated his own strength. He watched as his incarnations slowly gathered outside of the castle patiently waiting for Inuyasha and his companions to arrive so that they could begin their battle.

However, Kagura was never one to hold much patience so she began pacing back and forth slowly from one side of the castle to the other, playing with her fan between her fingers. Her red eyes scanned the surrounding area, looking for any sign of movement. "Naraku, can't I just go and see where-" she began.

"Silence! You will stay where you are until I say otherwise," snarled Naraku. "And stop that infernal pacing, it is becoming tiresome."

Kagura snarled, but did as she was told; Naraku still held her heart in his hands and could, at any moment, decide to end her life. Since he'd gone into hiding, Naraku had taken it upon himself to build up his army of demons and incarnations. Kagura hadn't met them all, for there were far too many, but the one's that she did meet had her doubting Inuyasha and his companion's ability to kill Naraku and therefore set her free.

One such demon that had her worried was one known as Atoshi. Atoshi, although small in size, roughly the size of a ten year old boy, had the ability to reach into people's minds and dig deep into their subconscious. In doing this he was able to take the form of the person his opponent holds most dear to them, making it harder for them to fight him. He proved himself once already while fighting a member of the Southern wolf tribe. He had taken the form a long, lost mate of the wolf and had easily cut him down.

Another incarnation that proved worthy of fighting in this battle was one named Micharata. This particular incarnate was able to dissolve itself in one place to appear again in another. She was tall and slim and had the strength of three demons put together and could easily hold her own. The last incarnation that made it onto Naraku's battle list was a being known as Hukio, Ikkaku, Hiagi, and Ruki. This particular incarnation was a sketchy one. Naraku almost resisted putting it into battle because of its split personalities; yes, personalit_ies_. Four to be exact. He was one body with four minds controlling its actions; sometimes simultaneously.

Three of the personalities were just as vile and ruthless as any other of his incarnates, having no discrimination for its opponent whether it be male, female, child or adult, human or demon. These three personalities could very well be described as how Inuyasha acted while under the control of his demon side, with close to the same amount of strength. These three personalities carried with them three separate and distinct powers. The first personality, Hukio, was an elemental demon with the power to manipulate air, fire, water, and earth. The second personality, Ikkaku, had the power to be able to take on his opponent's abilities, giving them matching strength of their opponent as well. The third personality, Hiagi, was a manipulator, able to turn ally and against ally as if they were mere puppets. However, as twisted as his first three personalities were, his fourth personality, Ruki, was an extreme opposite; having compassion beyond reason for everyone and everything and the ability to heal wounds. While it seems as if this would not be a big problem, the fourth personality made itself known more often than not, slipping into place every two minutes or so for brief periods of time. It could be used both as advantage and disadvantage by Naraku. With the fourth personality slipping in and out of control, it could give Inuyasha and his group a small sense of false security, thus resulting in bringing down their guard.

These incarnations were only the lead warriors in his new and vast army. Kagura had been sent out about a week and a half ago to dispatch any and all demons that were ready and willing to fight against Inuyasha and his group in hopes of gaining shards of the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls. It didn't take much enticing on Kagura's part; one word of the sacred jewel and their were all scratching and tearing at each other to get to Naraku's palace first in order to make a good impression. During her travels to gain supporters in Naraku's army Kagura had traveled in every direction, gaining more and more demons the further she went; it was amazing what some creatures would do for the possibility of gaining a little more power. Word traveled quickly that Naraku was in search of an army, and a couple of days later, demons started descending upon the castle in hoards. Thousands of demons took up occupancy around Naraku's castle, all waiting for their shot at power.

The scene at the stronghold was one of anticipation, anger, and greed. All of the incarnations and demons kept focused eyes on the forest around them, and on the black-headed girl lying motionless in the middle of the courtyard. Slowly the ground beneath her was stained red with her blood, but as they continued waiting, it had begun to dry a little. She still had not come to but it was no matter, she was just here as bait. Every being in the castle was quiet, waiting for the impending battle; just one sign was all they needed. Kagura let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding with all the tension hanging in the air. A few moments pass by with everyone on edge. A slight rustling came from the trees and as if all attached to each other, each demon and incarnate snapped their heads up to the right of them. As if on queue, a silver haired half-demon in a red fire rat robe leapt from the tops of the trees to land just outside of the courtyard. Following close behind him, a large demon cat with fire at her feet protruded from the forest with a monk, demon slayer, and a young fox demon atop it.

A loud roar erupted with the excited crowd of demons and incarnations, startling the group that had just arrived.

"What the…" was all that Inuyasha could say when his eyes met the surrounding army.

"I've never seen so many demons before; where did they all come from?" asked Sango bewildered.

"It appears that in his absence Naraku decided to build up his army. This was clearly a trap from the get-go, Kagome just so happened to be in the middle of it," Miroku explained. The group stood there in awe, taking in the sight of thousands and thousands of demons all waiting for a signal to start maiming their targets.

"Wise observation, Monk. Indeed I have built up my army, and as you can see, you are clearly outnumbered," Naraku snickered.

"Damn it Naraku, give Kagome back! You better not have hurt her!" screamed Inuyasha. That was just before he saw her lying in the dirt unconscious covered in her own blood. It took a minute for his brain to register what his eyes were seeing; he didn't want to believe them. She seemed so lifeless, but, she wasn't dead, she couldn't be dead. He felt his blood turn cold with every passing second he looked at her. She was in a heap on the ground somewhat on her side, with one of her arms underneath her, the other bend out in front of her, and her legs were bent together as if she was merely sleeping. Rage was building up inside of him, screaming to be let out. The other members of the group stood their in disbelief as they eyed their friend's seemingly lifeless body. Shippou was crying loudly but as they stood there looking on, all the noises seemed to have been drowned out. A dark, sinister laugh was what brought them all back to reality.

"Ku ku ku. What's the matter Inuyasha? Cat got your tongue?" Naraku provoked.

Inuyasha was stunned into a temporary paralysis. Along with the horrible sight before him of his friend's mangled body, flashes of Kikyo's face kept jumping before his eyes, giving him the image that it was her in the same position. He closed his eyes and snarled and then shook his head to rid him of the visions. Before Inuyasha could retort to Naraku's taunts, a dusty tornado flew into the courtyard next to the group. It quickly died down to reveal Kouga, who had been running as fast as he could as soon as he smelled Kagome's blood. Kouga scanned the castle with wide eyes, taking in the thousands of demons that scattered the grounds before he shifted his eyes to rest on the broken figure before him; that of which belonged to Kagome. His Kagome. While his mind register the sight before him, his two comrades joined him by his side. Like Kouga, they stood there looking at their poor 'sister' and felt helpless.

"Naraku, you BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" screamed Kouga like a madman.

Naraku smirked evilly at his new guest. "Kouga, what a surprise, I wasn't expecting to see you. Here to avenge your pack no doubt?" he said casually.

Naraku actually hadn't been expecting to see the wolf demon, let alone his right and left hand men. Although the odds tilted a little more, he still had more demons and incarnations than they could handle; or so he believed anyway. The demons and incarnations were getting restless waiting for someone to make a move, but Naraku had no intention of sending his minions in first, if he assumed correctly, Inuyasha always jumped into battle head on without a plan. Today would be no different. Coming out of his stupor, Inuyasha looked ahead at Naraku. Grinding his teeth, he raised his sword and screamed his first battle cry, charging straight for the evil half demon.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha roared. His assault went straight for Naraku, but dissipated when it hit his barrier, much to the distress of Inuyasha.

The demons surrounding the castle wasted no time charging into battle; it was the sign they had all been waiting for. Sango used her Hiraikostu to clear a path through the demons in an attempt to get to Kagome, but the demons were too numerous and she was only able to clear a few of them out of the way. Looking back over her shoulder, she screamed for Miroku to see if he was still behind her. Miroku himself had managed to suck in a few demons with his wind tunnel, but not long after Naraku released his poisonous insects to ward off the attack and Miroku was forced to seal it once again. Kirara was chomping and batting demons as fast as she could, but it looked as if she only scratched the surface. Shippou was even doing his part to get to Kagome by using his multiplying technique and foxfire. He was able to take out a few lowly demons, but like the others, the damage of his attack was minimal.

Kouga was using his speed to dodge and kick the demons surrounding him while Ginta and Hakkaku fought as many as they could. All of the warriors were trying to make their way to the woman still lying in the middle of the courtyard which was now being engulfed by demons. Inuyasha slashed his sword left and right, bringing down any demon that got in his way. As he killed them they let out screams of agony and defeat, drowning out nearly every sound around him. Inuyasha couldn't see Sango, Miroku, Shippou, or Kirara anymore, but he could faintly hear their war cries. It was better than nothing.

Naraku did nothing to hide his laughter; he openly embraced the looks of disgust upon the warrior's faces and their seemingly useless attempts. He would buy his time until the perfect moment arose to set loose his new incarnations. When Inuyasha and his companions thought they had won, then he would set them free to their own devices; that is, if they could live that long. No doubt this would be an interesting battle; they all want their 'precious' Kagome and would unmistakably fight to the death for her return to them. He let his eyes fall on the young woman in the center of the courtyard. He didn't intend for Kagura to actually kill her, if she was indeed dead, but if she has done so then he wasn't one to complain; it was one less obstacle to overcome.

"Kagome!! Wake up Kagome! You've gotta fight, stay alive!!" Inuyasha screamed out as he cut down demons. He severed the arm off of one demon before slicing the belly of another, eyes only briefly leaving Kagome's form.

"Your efforts are in vain, Inuyasha. Give me the jewel shards and your deaths may be quick and painless," Naraku bargained with him.

"What?! What are you talking about?! We don't have the damn shards and even if we did, we sure as hell wouldn't give 'em to you!" Inuyasha yelled in reply.

"Don't patronize me half-breed! She doesn't have them on her person, and the only people she would entrust such a treasure to are you and your friends!" Naraku sneered. "You will DIE for your impudence!"

As Naraku and Inuyasha exchanged heated words, a group of demons bounded upon Inuyasha, taking him by surprise. He fell to his knees as two demons scraped their claws against his back. All he could do at the moment was keep his sword in front of him in an effort to ward off the oncoming assaults to the front of him. In the distance, Miroku was throwing his sutras with one hand at advancing demons and hitting them with his staff held in his other hand. Sango had been overtaken by a demon only for a moment and then threw her weapon as hard as she could, resulting in at least thirty demons to be split in half. Shippou had found a place, standing on top of Kirara, and was pitching out his best foxfire he could manage.

The young fox kit had been fighting with a tiger demon for the past few minutes and was gradually wearing it down. The tiger demon managed to give Shippou a few scratches on his shoulder and almost took a chunk of his hair. When Shippou released his latest foxfire the tiger demon swiped its claws at him which caused him to fall on his bottom. When he landed he fell on something hard which made him yelp a little in pain. Reaching behind in his pocket he pulled out the offending object that had poked him none-to-gently in the rear. A small glass vile with two glowing jewel shards was winking back at him. His eyes went wide with realization and he took in a quick gasp of air before he immediately replaced the vile back into his pocket. He quickly threw out one last attack which delivered the final blow to the tiger demon, making it turn to dust.

'_When did Kagome give me the jewel shards? Why would she give them to me? Did she know Naraku was going to take her?'_ thought Shippou. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a bright flash of blue light engulfed the entirety of the courtyard, now bloodied from battle. The demons that happened to be in the path of the blue light's destruction were immediately annihilated; turned into nothing more than steaming piles of ash. The fighting demons grew quite and the battle seemed to come to a halt. Inuyasha, who had been under the submission of an eagle demon, took advantage of its distraction and sliced his sword through it before he too paused his fighting. Miroku had just beaten a demon with his staff and stabbed it through its chest when he saw the blue light. Sango just had time to catch her weapon and then shielded her eyes from the blue blast. Everyone on the battle field shifted their gaze to the direction in which the blue light had come from.

Standing there with an expression of utter disdain was the tall demon lord dressed in white silk. He never moved his head, but let his eyes wander on the scene before him. He took in the fallen demons and then looked upon his brother and his comrades who were a little worse for wear. He then gazed to the left, finding the wolf tribe leader and his two companions, Kouga having just punched out an offending demon. He then brought his eyes toward the center of the courtyard and saw the fallen body of the miko that traveled with his brother; the one which had been constantly on his mind ever since he met her.

He narrowed his eyes at the sight and sizing up his surroundings Sesshoumaru took slow, even steps toward the center of the courtyard. He stopped and looked down upon the unconscious miko and his eyes widened just a fraction when he could not make out her heartbeat. He then looked back up to his most loathsome enemy, Naraku. He sheathed his sword, Tokijin, which was the source of the blue power from earlier, and unsheathed another sword. He swiped his other sword, Tensaiga, effortlessly at the young woman's body and with that swing he struck down the pallbearers of the underworld trying to claim her soul. He drew and withdrew both of his swords so quickly that if one was not paying strict attention to him, they may have missed it.

Sesshoumaru didn't fail to notice the look of hatred and fear that crossed over Naraku's face. He tilted his head down slightly and to the side and let a small smirk cross over his usually stoic face. His thoughts were quick and deadly as he pictured making Naraku suffer for his transgressions against his pride. He moved his eyes back upward and then lifted his head. His voice pierced through the very core of Naraku as he uttered a single word.

"Vermin."

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**_Thank you for reading!_**

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	4. Dreamscapes

Disclaimer: same as chapter 1, still don't own :(

Thank you to those who have been reading! I'm making revisions to some chapters that I've already written, I have five currently and I am working on the sixth.

* * *

(Two months earlier)

It was a warm day, not as hot as the summer days have been recently, and it was exceedingly more bearable than the past few days. Three humans, two demons, and one half-demon all walked along a path underneath the canopy of the forest basking in the shade of the trees. Jokes were being told by the monk, who happened to have a real knack for story telling, and everyone laughed at his carefree attitude. If anyone were to see them now, they would have never been able to guess that they had just fought off a bull demon tainted with a jewel shard. The battle was the first that they'd had in over a month, and it was a welcome break from roaming the country sides of Japan with no action whatsoever. The group had been feeling rather put out; they had no jewel shards, no sign of Naraku nor his incarnations, and it had been a HOT summer.

The bull was almost eight feet tall with broad shoulders and very sharp horns. It was the first jewel shard they had found since Naraku had taken theirs, and the bull demon definitely did not want to give it up without a fight. The battle started when Inuyasha first tried his 'Blades of Blood' attack, which stuck the demon in the legs, but it didn't stay down long. Before they knew it, it was charging them at a speed they couldn't have thought possible for a creature that size. It took them all off guard and Inuyasha had to tackle Kagome to get her out of the way of it path. Sango threw her large boomerang at the bull demon and managed to cut off one of its hands. It snarled and began kicking up dust as one could imagine a bull would do. It charged for her and came close to knocking her down before she jumped up and around it, leaving it dazed as Miroku flung sutras to subdue it for a while. With the help of Inuyasha, Kagome was back on her feet, a little shaken, but otherwise okay. She shakily reached for an arrow and notched it in her bow, waiting for the perfect opportunity to shoot. Inuyasha tried the wind scar twice and it failed both times. This time, Kagome was ready to take aim.

"Inuyasha, try it again as I shoot!" yelled Kagome.

"You got it! Wind Scar!!" bellowed Inuyasha.

"Hit the mark!" Kagome pleaded to her arrow.

Both attacks swept upon the bull demon with a deadly force. The bull demon looked on in horror as both attacks landed upon his being, slicing away at him until he was no more. The jewel shard that had been within the demon slowly floated down into Kagome's waiting hands, purifying instantly at her touch.

"Well done you two! Well done indeed!" exclaimed Miroku as he jogged up to his companions. He was happily sitting on the sidelines, just in case he was needed, Inuyasha having previously stated that he wanted to fight this demon on his own to work out some frustration. He, Sango, and Kirara with Shippou on her back, walked up to them with smiles on their faces.

"Wow Kagome, I think your arrows are getting much stronger. That was amazing!" Sango elated.

"Yeah Kagome, that demon didn't even know what hit him! The look on his face was priceless!" exclaimed Shippou.

"Ahem, aren't you forgetting someone? I did most of the work, all she did was shoot a lucky arrow," Inuyasha postured.

"Lucky…arrow? What the heck is wrong with you Inuyasha! WE worked TOGETHER! WE defeated the demon, and all you can say is LUCKY ARROW?!" Kagome fumed.

Inuyasha sunk away from the mad Kagome with his ears pinned against his head. Was it just him, or did she seem to get taller? Maybe he was shrinking?

"Feh! I don't know what everyone's getting so worked up about. You should all just be glad that she hit her target at all! Kami knows she needs practice!" he stated.

That had done it.

"SITSITSITSITSITSITSITSITSIT BOY!!" wailed Kagome.

Miroku cringed at the sight of their friend swiftly kissing the ground. Sango's mouth was agape in awe of the large hole that Inuyasha was now occupying and Shippou and Kirara tsked and shook their heads.

"What an idiot," Shippou declared.

Later that night, the group had made camp along the tree line on the outskirts of the Western lands. Everyone was assigned a task to help including gathering wood for the fire, getting some water from the stream, catching fish, and cooking. Each was cheerfully eating their dinner; it was a celebration after all, they got their first jewel shard in weeks and they finally felt as if they were making some progress. Inuyasha, even though still a little sore over being sat, enjoyed his fish and ramen that Kagome had brought from her time. He knew that he couldn't have taken the demon down without her, but it just wasn't his way to say thank you. Kagome knew this, but still kept her wishful thinking. She glanced at Inuyasha was making a total pig of himself, stuffing half of the fish and a big serving of ramen into his mouth at the same time. She smiled lightly and repressed a giggle at the sight of a noodle hanging precariously from the side of his mouth and returned to enjoying her meal.

After dinner, Kagome showed them a new card game from her time. It started out with all of them playing, but soon it was just down to her and Sango. They boys were busy mending their bruised egos, when Sango screamed out in joy, "Blackjack!" Kagome pouted a little but smiled as her friend threw the cards in the air, cheering. They all settled in for the night after playing a few more games. It was warm, so Shippou, instead of curling up with Kagome in her sleeping bag, decided to sleep next to Kirara. Sango was drifting off to sleep; keeping an eye open to make sure Miroku was keeping his lecherous hands to himself. They both drifted off to sleep and Miroku even started snoring a bit. Inuyasha made his way up a tree to watch over the group; being a half-demon, he didn't require a lot of sleep. Kagome closed her eyes and welcomed a pleasant sleep; after such an exciting day she was worn out, so it didn't take long for her to doze off. Although the day was a success, her dreams were violent.

(Kagome's dream)

_Two red eyes were watching her and her friends from a distance. He moved quietly among the trees slipping in and out of the bushes, eyes glued to their group of travelers. He motioned to something off to his right that was lurking in the faint shadow of the trees. He then turned his gaze back to the group and let an evil smile cross his face, as well as let a sinister laugh fill the air. He jumped back a few yards a kept watch as the being set off to do its work._

_The group was walking along the path, laughing and joking as they did. They were still happy over their jewel shard and were talking with each other excitedly. Kagome stopped in her tracks and turned her head over her shoulder. She was sure she just heard something, but the others didn't seem to of have. She scanned the scenery carefully in search for anything amiss. _

"_Oi, Kagome! You comin' or what, we don't have all day ya know!" hollered Inuyasha_

_She shrugged and turned back around to once again start walking. When her eyes fell forward she gasped as she saw a huge bear-like demon standing in front of them; seemingly to have_ _come out of nowhere. The others had been looking her way at Inuyasha's proclamation, so they didn't see it until it was directly upon them._

"_Inuyasha look out!" Kagome screamed._

She was brought out of her dream by Inuyasha shaking her gently. When she opened her eyes she saw two golden orbs looking at her with concern. She felt tears starting to form in her eyes and she reached out and flung her arms around Inuyasha's waist. He was momentarily shocked, but slowly held her against him, patting her back somewhat uncomfortably trying to calm her.

"Geeze Kagome are you okay? It was just a dream, don't worry," Inuyasha said soothingly.

"Yeah, I know," she started as she let go of her embrace. "It just seemed so real."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine, really. It just startled me," she said as she lay back down on her sleeping bag.

"Alright, but if you start screaming again, don't blame me if you wake up in a river, I won't be so easy on ya next time," he teased.

"Gee, thank you Inuyasha," she replied as she smiled.

He jumped back into his perch and she closed her eyes. She could feel him watching her and she smiled a little to herself.

"Good night Inuyasha," she whispered for only him to hear before she drifted off to sleep once more.

'_Good night, Kagome' _he thought.

* * *

The next few nights her dreams were the same though sometimes they revealed less, sometimes they revealed more. The vividness of the dreams varied, leaving her at a state of uncertainty whenever they stopped to make camp for the night. Gradually she was starting to become afraid of falling asleep, knowing that her sometimes horrible nightmare were awaiting her. Inuyasha was always there to wake her up when she became fitful, giving her comforting words and a small embrace that she secretly enjoyed. He semi enjoyed his role in comforting Kagome, well, that was until he had his turn at a nightmare involving Kikyo. After that night, he couldn't look at Kagome without feeling guilty that he was 'cheating' on his first love.

(Inuyasha's dream)

_It was night and their group had set up camp in a small clearing. Everyone had eaten and settled in for the night. Inuyasha was sitting next to a tree sitting with his legs crossed and his hands tucked into the sleeves of his haori. He had his sword held protectively against his chest and he scanned his eyes over the camp. Everyone was sleeping soundly. He tilted his head back to rest against the tree and then he saw it. A lone soul collector was soaring high above the trees, beckoning him to its master. He took a deep breath in and looked over at Kagome who was resting peacefully in her sleeping bag. He smiled to himself and looked back up into the sky. He lifted from his position on the ground and set off towards Kikyo, he would tell her of his decision tonight. He came upon a field, empty of any trees. She was standing in the middle of the clearing with her head tilted up towards the sky. In the moonlight she looked even more fragile and much more like porcelain. _

"_Tell me Inuyasha, does that girl mean more to you than I do?" questioned Kikyo._

"_What? Why would you ask me something like that?! You know I love you!" Inuyasha replied._

"_You look at her the way you used to look at me, with love and compassion. So tell me, what is she to you?" Kikyo pressed on._

"_Kikyo, I've never stopped thinking about you, you know that! I do love Kagome, but Kikyo, I promised my life to you. You are the one that holds my heart, my life, in your hands."_

_The look on Kikyo's face after he admitted this was one of pure joy, something that he hadn't seen since before the incident with Naraku. It made her look ethereal, she was indeed a beautiful sight. He vowed to himself to bring that look upon her face more often, whatever it took. _

_They shared a sweet embrace that made him sigh in content. His first love was coming back to him. He finally saw a genuine smile on her face after way too long, one that wasn't brought on by thoughts of his demise. Yes, he loved Kagome, but his life with Kikyo had been entirely too short and he was going to try like hell to make up for lost time._

After this dream, he started to become distant from Kagome; he hadn't even offered her rides upon his back like he normally would. He knew it was tearing her up inside, but he couldn't shake the feeling of his own treachery, he just couldn't think of Kagome in any other way as a friend, not when he so deeply cared for Kikyo.

'_When all of this is over, I'm going to follow Kikyo, it's the least I could do for her, I owe her my life. There would be no sense in leading Kagome on, not when I can't promise to be here for her.'_

* * *

A week had past and Kagome was still tormented by her dreams, and they had actually become more vivid and lifelike. When the day came that the half bear, half bird demon showed up ready for battle, she partially believed she was having one of her dreams yet again. Fortunately for her and her friends, she realized that this was no dream and did her part in defeating the demon. She came to the conclusion after that battle, that there was more to her dreams than she had previously thought; these were not merely dreams, they were visions. She didn't know if she should tell Inuyasha or not about this visions; he wasn't exactly acting like himself lately. After a tantalizing argument with her mind and conscious, she decided against telling the group. They didn't need to worry about her any more than they already had to; she was already such a burden, what with them having to save her all the time. So instead of spilling her secret, she kept close records of her dreams, in case there was anything that was of importance that she would need to remember. A few days went by with dreamless sleeps and she finally started to relax again. At least she had been able to sleep through the night; she wouldn't want to _bother_ Inuyasha.

The days drew on and yet again, they found themselves in a stagnant search for Naraku, his incarnations, a jewel shard, anything! Sure there were minor demons that came out of the woodwork every now and then, but none that proved to be of any use to them. All they were good for was a small fight; at least it kept them a little occupied. They came upon a small village on their journey and Kagome insisted that they stop and get some food and perhaps a nice, comfortable bed for the night. Miroku, being the ever devious monk that he was, talked to the owner of the nicest tavern and solemnly warned him of a dark, ominous cloud that hung over his abode. The man hastily agreed to let the monk exorcise the aura, and the group had gratefully accepted accommodations for the night. Although they were tired and annoyed with the lack of evil, jewel possessing half-demons, each held a smile on their faces as they drifted off to sleep with full stomachs.

Though it had been many nights since she'd had one of her 'visions', this night proved rebellious as she slipped into a deep sleep. A few minutes into her slumber, she unknowingly started twitching her limbs. Short spasms racked her body as she lay dreaming, but Inuyasha couldn't bring himself to go to her, not even when she started whimpering. _'Keh, it's just a dream, she'll get over it,'_ he attempted to convince himself.

(Kagome's Dream)

_Naraku's malicious eyes watched over the group yet again. Hoping to toy with the emotions of his enemies, he decided to send them a 'warm-up' before he sought them out again later. The group came across a pass and he noticeably saw them tense and prepare themselves for battle._

"_Not as dense as I thought they were," Kagome heard Naraku say. "This should be an entertaining experience."_

_What appeared to be Naraku, descended upon the group in a calm fashion, but was quick to take action against all of them. The first shot that Inuyasha took against his person was laughable. It did no more destruction than a slight slap in the face would do. Another tentacle was released, but she couldn't tell if it hit its target or not. Kagome saw herself draw her arrow and take aim at Naraku from where she sat on the ground. 'How did she get on the ground?' She released her arrow and everything went dark._

_All there was was darkness; she couldn't see what happened after she had released her arrow; did it hit the target? Slowly the blackness began to fade into another scene. She saw her friends sleeping in their camp; Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. In flashes she saw dark red eyes and snaky tentacles reaching out for her and her friends. She saw herself being pulled away from her friends by the arms of their enemy and then everything once again went black._

Her eyes jolted open and she took a couple of heavy breaths to slow her fast beating heart. That dream was less vivid than the one's she had had a few days ago, but was nonetheless terrifying. She wiped a hand across her brow and removed the cold sweat that had gathered there. She looked around the camp at her friends, still sleeping comfortably in their bed rolls. Inuyasha was perched in his tree with his eyes closed, although she highly doubted he was sleeping. She looked down at her sleeping bag and saw that Shippou had curled up next to her sometime during the night. His bushy tail and red hair the only things visible as he lay curled up in a ball. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes in an attempt to salvage the rest of her sleep time. However, visions of Naraku kept flashing through her mind every time she closed her eyes; and her being dragged off away from her friends.

She felt the warmth of the sacred jewel shards hanging around her neck. Naraku has almost completed the jewel and would no doubt come after the one's that they have collected. She shivered as she thought of her dream; she couldn't let the most recent one happen, she could not allow Naraku to take her, Inuyasha would not allow Naraku to take her. _'Just because he's been really distant lately doesn't mean he doesn't care about me. He still wants to see Naraku fall just like the rest of us. sigh even if he doesn't care for me, he would never allow Naraku to have the jewel shards. But what happens if he becomes "preoccupied"?_ Upon thinking of her dream a little more, she took the only precaution that she could think of; she stuffed the little glass vile with the jewel shards into the back pocket of Shippou's pants. In her dream, he was safe, so she didn't need to worry about him, at least now, if she was taken, Naraku would not gain possession of the shards and they would not be back to where they were two months ago.

Heaving a great whimper, she lay back down on her sleeping bag and closed her eyes at another attempt to sleep. Lately she had done everything she could to avoid her dreams, staying up later than normal to study, write in her journal, or even just lay awake to watch the stars. She had even gone a couple days without rest before her body couldn't keep up anymore and she had succumbed to sleep. _'Great, now I'm an insomniac, that's just what I needed,'_ she thought to herself. Tonight, she was going to get some much needed sleep. After a few restless position adjustments, she finally found herself comfortable and let the dream world claim her. No nightmares were had that night, with which she was grateful. The soft midnight blue sky surrounded the small camp like a blanket. Small insects could be heard, chirping their merry songs into the night. A soft breeze kept the night cool, a welcome change from the hot weather, and the group slept in peace.

Inuyasha let out a small sigh and shook his head while he looked at his companions. Miroku seemed to be dreaming hentai dreams as his hands twitched and lightly squeezed shut and then open again. Good thing Sango chose to sleep on the opposite side of the fire tonight, otherwise Miroku's dreams just might come true. Sango herself talked in her sleep quietly, but Inuyasha was still able to hear her mumbled words of 'pervert' and something about cramming her Hiraikotsu far up into places he'd rather not mention. She saw her face scrunch up as she glowered a little as well. Shippou's little tale twitched slightly, lightly hitting Kagome's face every now and again, making her absently run her hand across her nose to rid of the tickle. Kagome herself looked as if she finally was able to get a dreamless sleep for the first time in days. Inuyasha shook his head a little and forced himself to look away from her. He couldn't allow himself to be close to Kagome, not while Kikyo was still in his heart; he had to avenge their betrayal that Naraku had his hand in. It tore him up inside every time Kagome smiled sadly at him, and every time she had one of her nightmares; he just couldn't get close to her, not the way he knew she wanted. It just felt so wrong to harbor any sort of feelings for Kagome, Kikyo was he love, his life! He tightened his grip on Tessaiga and leaned his head back against the tree hard as if to knock all thought from his mind. With one last look at the sky, he closed his eyes and relaxed again, letting the sounds of the forest take him through the night.


	5. Darkness and Light

I just want to say sorry for the confusion with the chapters. The Bait is actually the third chapter in my story and Dreamscapes is the fourth. To show that I'm sorry I posted two chapters this time. Thank you for being patient with me, I'm still new to posting on fanfiction so it's taking some getting used to. I hope you are liking the story!

* * *

At first there was pain, unbearable, excruciating pain. She felt the blades cut into her skin, felt and saw the blood that coated her hands before her world went black and then the pain stopped. For a long while there was nothing but black that passed by her eyes. She could hear nothing, smell nothing, sense nothing; she was void of any feeling. There was no sky above her and no ground below her; she could've said that she was falling, but then again, did she even know what falling felt like here? Somewhere in the back of her mind it registered that this was somehow wrong, that she should be somewhere else, and that she had something important to finish, but for the life of her she could not imagine what.

She continued her fruitless search in the sea of blackness that surrounded her. She took it all in with indifference; there was no fear, no anger, no…anything. She was beginning to think that this was a dream, it just had to be, otherwise, what was she to make of this place? But if it were a dream, wouldn't she still feel the pain from earlier?

'_What is going on here? Where am I? Di…did I…did I die?'_

Try as she might, she couldn't feel upset about her new revelation. She looked around her once again, only this time she spotted something small in the distance. This, whatever it was, was glowing a strange blue-green color. As it approached she soon realized that there was more of its kind beside it. She wanted to be afraid, but couldn't. The things came closer to her and only stopped when they were a couple of feet in front of her. She tilted her head to the side in question as she looked upon the strange beings. They were no taller than her knees and they had beaks and large bulbous eyes. They reminded her of small toads; _'similar to Jaken, Sesshoumaru's vassal'_ she thought absently. What looked to be the leader of the small group of creatures took a single step toward her and nodded slightly in her direction.

"Welcome Kagome, we've been expecting you," stated the creature. Its voice was neither male nor female, though it was lower in pitch than what she would have expected.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I am called Yuichi, and we know all there is to know about you Kagome. My comrades and I are here to direct you home."

"Home? What do you mean? Do you mean with mom, Souta, and grandpa?"

"Not exactly," another one spoke up. "It seems that you sustained pretty nasty injuries recently; I'm afraid that your body was not able to handle the extent of the cuts."

"Oh, I understand," Kagome said with no emotion. "What if I choose to stay? Will I be able to?"

"I am afraid that will not be allowed Kagome," a third stated. "We are here under strict orders to see you off."

"Why would you choose to go back to that life anyways?" stated yet another. "What is there for you to go back to?"

"Inuyasha," was her only answer.

"You would go back simply for someone who does not return your feelings?" a fourth creature asked. "Why would you put yourself through pain as such when you could come with us and never have to feel sorrow again?"

"You're wrong, he does care for me. I know he loves Kikyo, but he has feeling for me, too. I can't leave him when there might be a chance for us."

"Foolish girl, there is no chance with him. You openly give your heart to someone who is incapable of giving his back. What are you expecting from him?" the last creature huffed.

Kagome slightly frowned at this. Something was not right about this whole situation; why were they pushing her so hard to follow them? She looked over at them for a minute, silently evaluating their motives. One of them shifted slightly under her silent critique, yes, something was definitely wrong.

"Uh, I don't think I want to go just yet, I would rather go back to my friends if you don't mind," she stated.

The small beings glanced around at each other from the corners of their eyes. Things were not going as they planned. The council from the underworld told them that five would be enough to bring this girl's soul back with them, but she was proving to be quite stubborn. In this world between life and death, no one was able to feel such strong emotions as this girl was releasing. It was not usually such a difficult task to talk the souls into joining them in the afterlife. They were running out of options, it was time to take another approach.

"Kagome," Yuichi started, "I know this may be difficult to understand, but your friend Inuyasha has already made his choice."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This may be hard to hear, but you will see what I mean," the creature stated.

The once quiet place that she and the creatures occupied soon filled with the voice of her love, Inuyasha. His voice carried with it a tortured sound, one filled with regret as well as finality.

"_Kikyo, I've never stopped thinking about you, you know that! I do care for Kagome, but Kikyo, I promised my life to you. You are the one that holds my heart, my life, in your hands,"_ came the thoughts of Inuyasha. _'When all of this is over, I'm going to follow Kikyo to hell, it's the least I could do for her, I owe her my life. There would be no sense in leading Kagome on; not when I can't promise to be there for her.'_

"How do I know this is real? How do I know that you aren't tricking me into hearing something that you've created?" she asked.

"You do not. However, I assure you these thoughts are Inuyasha's own. He spoke them no more than two months ago," said one of the creatures.

"Two months ago? That's just before he started acting weird; before he started to become distant," she admitted to herself dejectedly.

"You see girl, that world holds nothing but pain for you. Unrequited love can take its toll on a heart such as yours; why subject yourself to such?" asked Yuichi.

The five little creatures looked to themselves and then Kagome with knowing smiles on their faces; they were getting to her, she was slowly breaking and they would soon be able to take her soul to the underworld. These beings were not malevolent; they were not sent to wreak havoc on the souls of the recently departed. It was only their job to do what was necessary to lead the souls into the afterlife. The 'pallbearers of the underworld' is what they called themselves. Creatures of secret, they are not seen on the outside world. To the living, they are invisible, hovering around the body of the recently deceased. The pallbearers try to make the transition into the afterlife as easy as possible, giving the souls encouragement and reasons to follow them. The promise of a painless world is what typically draws the souls in, although there are times where promises of their heart's more simple desires captivate them into passing.

Failure to escort the soul into the netherworld was not something to be taken lightly. It was a job, and it was expected to be carried out. The pallbearers themselves were once lost souls that were trapped between the worlds. The council of the underworld was at a loss of what to do with the meandering souls and decided to take it upon themselves to initiate them as pallbearers. To live the life as a pallbearer was a bit more rewarding than waiting out your time in the netherworld for your rebirth. With this status came a bit more respect from other souls and also a more comfortable transition. For this reason, most of the wandering souls opted for this duty. However, although being a pallbearer was indeed rewarding if the 'missions' were successful, failure in their job led to immediate decent into hell; that was the deal.

Failure to bring back a soul into the underworld was not something that happened very often; in fact, there were so few accounts of it happening that one was able to count it on one hand. The most recent report of this happening was only a couple of years ago; a situation with a young girl with dark hair and eyes. The event made the creatures shiver in remembrance; it had not been a pretty sight to see when their comrades had been sucked into hell over this small girl. None of the pallbearers that were there were able to retell the event, each so battered that they could not speak. Because of this, the incident was still a mystery and it left a slight unease among the remaining pallbearers.

Kagome stood there with her shoulders slumped. She was so sure that things between her and Inuyasha could progress, but after hearing his inner thoughts, she couldn't help but feel rejected. Her trips to the feudal era were made tolerable because she knew she was coming back to him; how would she deal with it now? Her feelings for him ran so deep, she couldn't just forget them, or forget him. For two years she had been following Inuyasha to collect the jewel shards and right the wrong that she had caused by accidentally shattering the Sacred Jewel. She stayed by his side with the hope of one day evolving their friendship into something more, and even when Kikyo was brought back from the dead, she still held onto her wishful thinking. What was she to do now? Inuyasha had made his choice and she wasn't going to take that away from him, if she even could.

She was slowly brought out of her inner torment as she felt her limbs starting to numb as if she had none. She held her arms out in front of her and noticed a soft glow starting to envelope her. The feeling was warm and she felt her first sense of any feeling since she had been here; she felt comfortable. She closed her eyes to let the feeling embrace her; she could feel it surrounding her, making her entire body relax. She could feel peace as the pallbearers reached out to take her hand and lead her into the afterlife, this felt right. She slowly opened her eyes with a slight smile on her face, feeling better than she had ever felt before; it was intoxicating.

Upon opening her eyes she looked off into the vast darkness only to see a bright white light streaking towards her at an incredible pace. The small creatures around her stilled their movements and looked at the light in confusion. They had never seen such a thing in this realm, sure there was talk amongst the living that they were to head towards the light after passing, but that was just a silly rumor. Yuichi, the supposed leader of the group of pallbearers, stepped forward to meet whatever this, thing, was. He narrowed his eyes in hopes of getting a clearer view, but then opened them wide in terror just as he was cut down. The other pallbearers looked on in horror at their leader, but they all soon met the same fate, each one of them disappearing into the darkness.

Kagome sunk to her knees as the numb feeling left her. She cast half-lidded eyes to the place where just a moment ago, five small creatures had been. She felt as if she had been drugged, every movement her body made was sluggish. With some difficulty, she raised her head to find where the white light had gone, only to stare into a pair of amber colored eyes.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, still dazed.

"Human, do not insult my being my mistaking me for my half-brother, it is intolerable," came a cold baritone reply.

"Sesshoumaru? What are you doing here?" she asked weakly.

"Why is it that you were allowing yourself to be led to the afterlife?" he asked, sidestepping her question.

"Why not, there is nothing left for me out there, Inuyasha chose Kikyo," she replied with a strained, hurt-filled voice.

"So, my half-brother has chosen the clay pot? I cannot say that I am surprised, although I rather thought he would have done so sooner."

"Why do you say that?"

"Inuyasha is a feeble mind. To give his loyalties blindly to a woman who attempts to end his life has more than proven such as truth. It is suffice to say that I expected him to follow the abomination into the depths of hell the moment she asked. That he did not was surprising."

"He's not as weak as you think he is Sesshoumaru; you of all people, er, demons, should know that by now."

"I do not believe you are one to judge what makes one weak. You were blindly following pallbearers into the afterlife. Tell me, were _you_ always as weak minded as my brother?"

"What are you talking about?! I am NOT weak-minded!" she screamed

"No? So am I to deny what I observed with my own eyes?"

"Well, no, not exactly. You don't know everything okay! Just lay off will ya?!"

"Hn."

"What do you mean by '_hn_'? I gave myself so completely to Inuyasha, I was just waiting on him to realize that it was me he wanted, not Kikyo!"

"So, all of this over the half-breed. I dare say you have disappointed this Sesshoumaru, miko."

Kagome was stunned. Not only had she just realized that she had been holding conversation with Sesshoumaru, someone who has tried to kill her on multiple occasions, but then he says that 'she _disappointed_' him? Since when did he hold standards on her?

"What…why…how did I disappoint you Sesshoumaru?" she stuttered truly confused.

"Tell me, miko, why it is you believe that your desire for my brother is the only ties you have amongst the world of the living."

"He is everything to me. I fought so hard for him and now…now…"

"Pathetic."

"What?! How dare you call me pathetic! You don't know anything about my situation!"

"I know that while you pine for him, he desires another, yet you still follow knowing that he will never see you in such a way that you wish. For something such as this breaking you is pathetic."

Kagome had no idea what to say, she was absolutely furious! How _dare_ he tell her she was pathetic, she just had her heart broken for kami's sake! Someone that she has loved deeply for two years just chose another, the pain from that was outstanding. She glared at the demon in front of her with nothing but contempt in her eyes. As usual, he stood there with an utter look of boredom on his face; does anything get to this guy? This made her even madder, he was the one to instigate conversation and now he had the nerve to look bored?! Kagome mustered up her best death glare in his direction, this look always worked on Souta and Inuyasha; surely it would have some effect on the demon lord.

Keeping up with appearances, Sesshoumaru's face remained ever impassive. Although, he did have to admit, that death glare the young woman was sending his way had his hackles rising. This small snip of a girl was threatening him, which he found highly entertaining. He looked at her and quirked one of his eyebrows in amusement and watched as her lips pursed in her annoyance. This was too easy. Sesshoumaru had his own agenda in mind when he chose to help the miko, that agenda being Naraku. As much as Sesshoumaru would like to relish in the desire of being the sole destroyer of the foul half-breed, he relinquished to the fact that the young miko in front of him would be a key player in the downfall as well. This is why he decided to bring her back to life after seeing her comatose body in the courtyard at Naraku's castle.

The only other person privilege to Tensaiga's healing powers under Sesshoumaru's ownership was his ward, the little girl named Rin. The one wielding the sword properly had the ability to gaze upon the pallbearers of the underworld, as well as the capability to strike them down, rendering them useless in order to bring the person back to life. Once inside the realm between worlds, Sesshoumaru was able to converse with the spirit of the dead he wished to revive. Although it may seem as though much time had passed within the realm, life went on at its usual pace outside, making the observer none the wiser as to the proceedings within.

"Miko, I do not intend to waste more time here than necessary. You will be coming back with this Sesshoumaru."

"The name's Kagome, Ka-go-me, quit calling me miko. And who says I wanna go back, huh? It could be pretty easy getting used to a painless lifestyle, who knows, I could come back as a model." _Oh who was she kidding, she wanted to go back_.

"I tire of these games _**miko**_, the hanyou Naraku has an appointment with the end of my Tokijin, and I expect to keep to my punctuality."

"Why are you helping me?"

"You are the protector of the Shikon no Tama are you not?" he asked.

"Well, yes I suppose I am."

"Then your assistance is needed."

"Just get Kikyo to help," she spat, "she's probably more qualified anyway," she mumbled the last bit.

This was getting frustrating. How could someone so stubborn be so daft at the same time? Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, something he hasn't had to fight in a long while.

"Miko-"

"Kagome," she interrupted.

"Wench," he bit out, "I have yet to lose my patience with you; however, I warn you it is getting thin. I typically do not humor such a blatant disregard of my status, I have given you fair warning."

Kagome opened her mouth to retort, but saw the promise of pain in his eyes and promptly clamped her mouth shut. By this time her conscience decided to finally make itself heard and remind her that Sesshoumaru was here, in the realm between worlds, offering to bring her back to the living. _'Grrreat Kagome, mock the person who has the power to bring you back to life, fantastic.'_

"Forgive me Lord Sesshoumaru, I'm just a little stressed out here. I mean, first I'm taken by Naraku, then I'm struck down by Kagura's wind blades, only to find myself being dragged off into the netherworld by creepy toad looking things. Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

_Well, that was unexpected._ He raised his delicate eyebrow yet again at her quick change in moods. To say that he was intrigued would have been an understatement. He knew very well that humans paraded their feelings, but to actually watch as the young miko's many emotions crossed over her eyes in less time that it took him to wrap his claws around an unsuspecting throat was a bit perplexing.

"Very well. Although your training as a miko is abysmal, you still house an adequate amount of power to incapacitate Naraku."

"Gee, thanks," she spat sarcastically. The narrowing of his eyes made her mumble a quick apology.

"As I was saying, your miko powers are not a complete waste. When we return you must know that there is a battle ensuing that you will promptly be placed in. I expect you to follow my orders with _no_ questions asked once we return. Is this understood?"

"Yes, but um, what about Inuyasha and the others?"

"They are present as well. Now, if you are quite finished here…" he said as he shifted his stance.

"Yeah, I gotcha, I'm ready to go."

"Hn."

With no other acknowledgement to his departure, the demon lord reverted once again to his light orb and sped away back the way he came, leaving Kagome once again alone in the darkness. She huffed a little and slumped her shoulders. _'Now what?'_ What was she expecting, some miraculous return with bright flashing lights, and the songs of cherubim sounding while she enjoys a weightless experience in a pretty little white mist? Well, yeah, sort of. That, however, was not how she was to make her triumphant return.

She shook her head to rid herself of her less than beneficial thoughts and started to walk towards where she assumed Sesshoumaru had made his departure. She had not walked more than five steps before she sucked in a deep breath as pain shot through her body. She quickly brought her hand up to her neck as that was where she felt it first. When she brought her hand down for inspection, she found it once again covered in blood. Another quick stab of pain brought her to her knees as she clenched her teeth to try and hold back the scream that was threatening to spill out of her mouth. She didn't think that being brought to life was supposed to hurt more than being killed, but hey, she was new at this whole thing. She grabbed at her chest above her heart and a sob escaped her, before she was once again unconscious.


	6. The Battle Begins

Hello readers, I hope you are enjoying the story, again, sorry for the mix up, I hope it didn't confuse any of you. This is my first attempt at a battle scene, so go easy on me, I tried :) Enjoy!

* * *

"Vermin."

The battlefield remained quiet in the soft sounds of morning as the fighting had come to an uncomfortable halt. The demons looked towards Naraku for any indication as to take up fighting again. Inuyasha held his breath as he kept his gaze on Kagome. His thoughts were treacherous in his mind; _'she couldn't have been dead, but then, why did Sesshoumaru use Tensaiga?'_ At first, nothing happened and he felt as though his heart dropped into his stomach. But then…

'_Thump, thump.'_ He gasped and his eyes widened with the initial shock.

'_Thump, thump.' _That was definitely a heartbeat, one that he didn't realize he couldn't hear before.

'_Thump, thump.' _"She's…she's alive. Thank Kami, she's alive," he said quietly to himself as he let out the breath he had been holding.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Naraku and began his trek towards him. Now that the miko had been revived, he had to put his effort into the foul being before him; when the girl regained consciousness he would call for her. His steps toward Naraku started out slow, but gained momentum as he went. The fighting once again commenced as Sesshoumaru made his way through the crowd, swiping his sword down on all those who dared to stand in his way. He rushed past the battle; he had only one objective, and that was to kill the bastard in his sight. The fighters took up their battles once again and soon the sound of war cries filled the air. Inuyasha was fighting his way towards Kagome, and with every swing he was able to take down another demon. He felt a gust of wind rush past him and saw white silk out of the corner of his eye. Sesshoumaru dashed passed Inuyasha on his way towards Naraku. Quickly, Inuyasha sliced the demon in half that was in front of him.

"Sesshoumaru! Naraku's mine, stay out of the way!" screamed Inuyasha as he ran after his brother.

"You will stay out of this Sesshoumaru's way, half-breed, unless you wish to perish along with him," spat Sesshoumaru. "I believe you have other business to attend to, if I am not mistaken?" he said as he glanced towards Kagome.

Inuyasha sneered at his brother and picked up his pace and darted towards Naraku, slicing each demon that got in his way. Sesshoumaru was soon upon Naraku and Inuyasha cursed under his breath at his lack of speed. He ran past a body on the ground and skidded to a halt. He looked down upon the body of Kagome and reached out for her but paused. He looked back towards Sesshoumaru and Naraku fighting, and then back to Kagome once again before making his decision.

"Fuck it!" he yelled aloud as he picked her fragile body up off the ground. As much as he wanted to kill Naraku, he could not just leave Kagome lying there defenseless. He picked up her limp, but very much alive, body from the ground and jumped out of the way just before a demon brought its sword down upon them. He ran quickly, dodging blades and claws left and right. He needed to get Kagome to safety, which was the first priority. He landed against the ground roughly after clearing a hoard of demons and then started his sprint towards his other comrades once again.

Sango was busying herself with four demons around her. She quickly sliced a lowly looking bird demon in half with her sword. A panther demon, with fur as black as night and eyes green like emeralds, leapt forward at her. It tackled her to the ground and threatened to cut her with its claws. She yelled aloud to gain some adrenaline and then sliced its neck with her arm blade. She back-flipped herself from the ground and regarded the others starting to surround her. The other two demons that had been close to her backed off just a bit, which gave her enough room and time to send her bone boomerang at them; easily cutting them down. However, there was no reprieve and there were soon more demons surrounding her from all sides.

Miroku was having just as much trouble with the demons surrounding him. He flung his sutras at numerous beings, which painfully burned their skin and turned them to ash. He was rapidly running out of his sutras and decided to use old fashioned hand-to-hand combat instead. He swung at a horse demon that had crept upon him while fighting another evil incarnate. His fist connected with the horse demon's jaw and it stumbled backward. He then launched his staff at its belly, embedding it there. The demon's eyes widened before it fell and decomposed into the ground.

Inuyasha bound towards Shippou, still clutching Kagome in his arms. She was breathing regularly and her heartbeat felt normal. He still could not bring himself to believe that just a short while ago, she lay dead. The person who he trusted more than anyone was dead, he had failed her. Although she was alive now, there was nothing that hurt more than knowing another person he cared about was killed by the hands of Naraku. A question still nagged in the back of his mind however; why had Sesshoumaru, a demon widely known for his loathing of the human race, brought Kagome, a miko, back to life? He had no ties to her, she was not his responsibility, and she was a _human_! Why the sudden change of heart? Not that he wasn't grateful to his brother, who now probably expected reimbursement in the form of a well known coveted sword, he was definitely grateful; Kagome was alive, safe, and…**alive**.

"How could I have let this happen to you, Kagome? I'm so sorry," Inuyasha whispered to her.

"Ungh," mumbled Kagome who struggled to open her eyes, a vision of silver hair caught in her sight. "Se…Sesshoumaru?"

His eyes widened and he looked down upon the form in his arms. _'Why the hell did she ask for Sesshoumaru?!'_ That was definitely not the first thing he expected to come out of Kagome's mouth the moment she awakened. Although he was suddenly furious, he chose to ignore her slip and proceeded to try and get her to Shippou. He felt something tighten in his chest when he heard his brother's name escape from her lips and he couldn't help the low growl that escaped through clenched teeth. She slowly opened her eyes as her vision steadily came to her. At first, all she could see was the outline of the person holding her. Then colors started seeping into her sight; a red haori, silver hair, deep amber eyes, and dog ears atop his head. Her eyes widened a fraction when she realized her mistake. She smiled slightly in apology then closed her eyes and turned to bury her face into his chest.

"Kagome! Are you ok? Can you hear me?" he questioned.

"Uh, ah-ha. I'm sorry I made you worry Inuyasha," she whispered.

"Kagome, I'm just glad you're ok. I'm so sorry; I wasn't there to protect you!" Inuyasha admitted.

She smiled lightly before sleep claimed her yet again, only this time it was in much needed rest. Inuyasha shook his head slowly and sighed in relief. He had to focus on this battle; it may be the turning point in their less than fortunate quest to return the jewel to its full self. He continued to run forward and finally made his way to Shippou, who was just finishing off a small snake demon. Being the small demon that he was, many sought to overlook him in attempts to get to the more prominent members of their little band. Shippou couldn't say he was too bothered by this fact, the less demons around him the better. The little fox kit looked up from the newly wasted demon in time to see Inuyasha slide to and stop mere inches in front of him, clutching Kagome's body to his chest.

"Shippou, I need you to guard her with your life! I'm going to find Naraku; if anything happens, yell for me," he pleaded.

"But…Inuyasha…" Shippou whined. What made Inuyasha think he was capable of guarding Kagome? He didn't want anything to happen to her, what would he do if she got hurt while under his care?

"Shippou! You need to be strong…please. For Kagome," Inuyasha sighed.

"R-r-right! I-I-I c-can do it!" Shippou sputtered as he nodded his head furiously. He would let nothing happen to Kagome, he would protect her with all that he had, even if it meant giving up his own life in the process.

Inuyasha nodded once in thanks and took off again towards Naraku. The demons didn't seem to be coming after Shippou so much as the others, and Shippou had been showing great improvement in his defenses, not that he would admit that out loud. If he could just kill Naraku, he could put an end to all of this, nobody would have to suffer anymore and he could finally give himself to Kikyo so her soul could rest in peace after so long.

Shippou guardedly watched over Kagome as she lay sleeping, no doubt letting her body heal itself. He looked over at her and gave a sad smile. He was so relieved that Kagome was back with them, but she looked so fragile and sick. He gave her a once over to check for any bad wounds that should be attended to. He put his little paws carefully in front of her mouth to make sure she was breathing well, and then tilted his ear to her chest to check her heartbeat. With a nod of approval at the lack of wounds, and good vital signs he brought his glance back to the battle field. Shippou only had a split second to dodge the point of a blade from a sword being wielded by a rat demon with long, bucked teeth. He rolled on the grass and jumped up quickly to find his aggressor. The rat demon was hunched over Kagome with a vicious scowl across his face. Without thinking, Shippou darted in the pathway of the rat and spread his arms out as if to stop him from getting any closer to her. The rat demon sneered at him and went to strike once more at the little fox demon and the miko. Shippou squeezed his eyes shut and threw his hands up in defense, waiting for the inevitable blow. It never came.

* * *

The two wolf brothers busied themselves with a group of demons near their wolf tribe leader. They had all seen the transaction between Sesshoumaru, Naraku, and the unconscious Kagome and it gave them new resolve. Kouga struck with a deadly force, and any demon that got in his way was sent flying by his brutal kicks. His superior speed helped him maneuver effortlessly through the hoard of demons, striking them down swift and true. He and his two comrades were fighting demons relentlessly as they sought to avenge their 'woman' and 'sister', as well as their fallen comrades. Though Kagome was now alive, her life had been heartlessly taken by Naraku, and they would see to it that it would be properly addressed. But first, the unfortunate task of getting through the demons.

Although Hakkaku and Ginta had not been in many battles themselves, their skills were none to be laughed at. One-on-one they were not formidable, but as a team, they were a force to be reckoned with. Using their unique fighting skills, the two wolf brothers were able to relieve as many as thirty demons of their less than honorable lives. The two wolf brother's moves were skilled and practiced as they jumped, kicked, punched, and bit the group of demons that had surrounded them. Although they were indeed making a fabulous effort, the numbers were definitely not in their favor. Ginta had just come down from being tossed by Hakkaku to reach a bird demon above jumping distance, when he was unceremoniously punched in the gut by an offending lizard demon. Taking advantage of his prone hunched position, the demon was quick to raise his knee into the face of the poor wolf. Kouga saw this and was quick to give punishment to the lizard demon that had effectively given Ginta a nice bloody nose. With a swift kick to the head, he felled the demon.

All three wolf demons once again took up their fighting positions and readied themselves for the next onslaught. To onlookers, the sea of demons seemed endless, coving the grounds of the castle like a thick blanket. From an aerial viewpoint one could clearly make out the charges of demonic power coming from two distinct swords, one a bright gold and the other an icy blue. Carvings resembling three claws littered the ground, the result of Tessaiga's 'Wind Scar' technique and the golden light. The other light was a distance away from the previous sword, this one sending currents of frosty blue power towards an unyielding bright purple barrier surrounding the coordinator of these hostilities. But perhaps the most interesting light that was even further from these two swords was a bright green orb covering a small area of roughly seven square feet.

* * *

Shippou clenched his eyes and prepared himself for the sharp steel of the sword. When a minute had passed he got up the courage to open his eyes; what he saw nearly had him squealing in childish joy. For before him stood erect a bright forest green barrier shielding him from the continuous slices of the rat demon's sword. At first he wondered where the barrier had appeared from, but then he noticed his tiny paws glowing the same green color, and quickly put the pieces together; it was him. He looked down at his paws and flipped them over and over again for his inspection and then cautiously lowered them to his sides. The barrier remained intact and Shippou could not resist the urge to stick his tongue out at the demon beyond it. He honestly could not figure out how he did it, but he managed to conjure up this small source of protection, which would no doubt be useful considering all the demons they had to fight against.

Puffing out his chest proudly, Shippou looked down upon Kagome who was sleepily smiling at him with nothing short of pride in her eyes.

"Kagome! Did you see what I did, did you see?!" Shippou asked jumping from foot to foot.

"I sure did kiddo, I knew you had it in you."

"I'm so glad you're awake! Are you strong enough to stand?"

"Yeah I think so."

Kagome slowly stood, expecting to feel the pain that she felt earlier from Kagura's wind blades. She was pleasantly surprised that instead of pain, she felt better than she had in a long time. Although a little tired, she stood solidly testing out her limbs to gauge her strength. With a deep breath she turned towards the demon that was still, without success, attacking the barrier. Raising her hands in front of her she let out a small blast of purifying energy, effectively destroying the ugly demon.

"Shippou, can you drop the barrier, even just a little? I need to get to Inuyasha and the others; we need a plan. There are just too many demons to be fighting so recklessly."

"I'll try, just be careful Kagome."

Shippou concentrated on a single part of his barrier allowing some of his energy to part a little in order to create an opening big enough for Kagome to pass through. She hastily took her leave of the small compound and waved back to Shippou in assurance. When she was far enough away from the barrier, Shippou closed it once again. Kagome looked around quickly for something to use as a weapon and stooped to pick up a large stick just to her left. Charging the stick with her purification powers, she set off to find her friends in hopes of regrouping long enough to create an attack strategy and maybe letting them rest a little.

As soon as she stepped from the barrier, the demons that had been waiting, more or less, patiently for their turn at attacking the small group of fighters looked towards her and smiled; finally something to do. Five of them came upon her and she did not hesitate to swing at them with her stick much akin to a baseball bat. Her swings were true, and although the stick did in no way have the sharpness of a sword, it did its job well. One by one the demons around her fell, some clutching the more tender parts of their anatomy, while the others were knocked out cold. Kagome allowed herself to smirk at them, _that'll teach them to mess with one Higurashi Kagome_. She continued on her path towards her friends, every now and then batting another demon. The first she came upon was the monk Miroku. She could tell by the look of him that he was exhausted, with a sheen layer of sweat on his brow. Jogging the last few steps toward him she finally reached his side.

"Miroku!" she cried.

"Lady Kagome! It is wonderful to see you are well, I must say you are a sight for sore eyes!" he said between jabs to a demon.

"Yeah, yeah, listen," she said hurriedly as she swung her stick, "Shippou knows how to create a barrier, it's not much but it will do the job. Make your way towards him so we can regroup and form a plan, I'll go inform the others."

"An excellent idea I must say. Don't worry about finding Sango, I'll let her know."

"Thank you Miroku, be safe!"

"And you as well."

They went their separate ways while still fending off the oncoming attackers, Kagome's new found strength helping her make her way through the crowd. In the distance she could hear Inuyasha's war cries which brought a smile to her face. As she beat through the demons she could distinctively see the red of his fire rat robes which helped her pick up her pace. Her smile quickly turned into a face of horror as she watched a demon approach from behind Inuyasha. She screamed his name to no avail and renewed her efforts to push through the crowd. As fast as she was, she knew she would not make it to him in time. Kagome watched as the demon brought his ball and chain weapon down in a slash and she couldn't help the scream that came from her mouth.

"Inuyashaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

Just before the sword came into contact with Inuyasha's unsuspecting back, a bright pink arrow lodged itself in the back of the offending demon. Kagome whirled her head around to find the source of the arrow that had saved Inuyasha, instinctively already knowing whom it came from. Kikyo, the undead priestess, stood a few yards away with her bow at the ready. She had already notched another arrow into place and prepared to release it into the masses.

Although Kikyo wanted nothing more than to bring Inuyasha into hell with her, she still could not watch him die at the lowly hands of no name demons. Kikyo's inner thoughts were contradicting in her love to help her hanyou and the desire to see him dead. _'Inuyasha, even in my strongest efforts I have yet to be able to dispel the love once felt for you, I give you my protection willingly and find myself unable to finish the job which I am destined to fulfill.'_ With no expression on her face to give her feelings away she let loose the arrow which parted a pathway to Kagome. Taking careful strides she reached Kagome in no time. The undead priestess could see the apprehension in the young girl's face and the way her hands balled into fists, ready to protect herself at any minute. With no words between them, Kikyo reached back to retrieve a spare bow and handed to Kagome along with some of her arrows.

"Th...thank you Kikyo," said a bewildered Kagome.

"Girl, you should be more careful around those who wish you harm, Inuyasha will not always be there to save you," replied Kikyo cryptically.

"Eh, yeah right. Well, thanks again, um, look; Shippou has a barrier ready in case you need it. I'm trying to get everyone together so we can come up with a plan. You should come too," Kagome stated as she headed once again for Inuyasha.

Kikyo looked on at the girl before knocking another arrow in her bow and taking aim at the mass of demons. If Inuyasha was to be hers and hers alone, she could not let Naraku have his way and destroy him; his death belonged to her.

When Kagome reached Inuyasha he had just finished with another one of his "Wind Scar" attacks. Although no one was able to keep track of the number of demons they had all accumulatively brought down, it looked to be just a little more than half were still going strong.

"Inuyasha!" she said over the sounds of battle.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing here, you tryin to get yourself hurt again?!"

"No Inuyasha, but I needed to find you and tell you that Shippou found out that he can erect a barrier, we need to regroup."

"Keh! I'm doin just fine, I don't need a break!"

"Inuyasha, please, just this once put your pride aside and do something beneficial!"

"Yeah whatever, I'm comin. Hop on my back," he said as he turned around.

"We need to inform Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku as well, I'm sure they need a break."

"Humph! Fine, we'll go get your boyfriend."

"What about Sesshoumaru?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Are you fucking crazy?! Let that bastard fend for himself, he seems to like being on his own anyway!"

"Inuyasha," she said threateningly.

"Fine, fine I'll go ask the bastard, damn wench!" he growled.

They set off to find the other warriors, killing demons along the way. They came across the wolf brothers first and helped them take down the incarnations they were fighting. Kouga was more than happy to see his Kagome alive and well, although he had a few choice words for Inuyasha for letting his woman get into so much trouble. Kagome on her part was a little irritated at the claiming, but took it all in stride, thanking him, Hakkaku, and Ginta for helping with Naraku. She told them of the plan and they readily agreed before taking off into the distance.

Once again Inuyasha and Kagome found themselves breaking their way through a crowd of demons and incarnations. Sesshoumaru had been diligently fighting a cowardly Naraku, trying to break through his barrier and stave off Kagura at the same time. His endless thrashes towards the barrier were causing him to see red. He quickly sniffed out the oncoming approach of his half-brother and the miko and, being the intuitive inuyoukai that he is, he jumped backwards towards them and growled at their intrusion.

"What is the meaning of this interruption half-breed?" spat Sesshoumaru, never once taking his eyes off of Naraku or the surrounding demons.

"Keh! It wasn't my idea to come over here, you wanna point fingers point them at her!" Inuyasha exclaimed thrusting a thumb in Kagome's direction on his back.

"Yeah, well you see, um, we have a barrier and uh, if you want to rest or relax, you can use it if you'd like, of course you don't have to, but well you've been fighting with Naraku and other demons and I thought you might need a break-" Kagome rambled.

"Miko, although your worries are wasted, this Sesshoumaru will indulge for the mere fact that you are a means to Naraku's end and should recuperate."

"What the fuck are you talking about _means to Naraku's end_?! You ain't getting your hands on Kagome, leave her the fuck outta this!" blared an incensed Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha please, it's getting harder to fight off the demons by ourselves, let's talk about this when we're all together," Kagome pleaded.

"Fine, whatever, but don't blame me if Sesshoumaru suddenly has need to sharpen his claws on you!" replied Inuyasha.

The three of them set out towards the barrier, being forced to listen to Naraku's pleased laughter as their forms retreated. _Yes, his plan was going perfectly, already they are succumbing to their fatigue; this should be easier than anticipated._ The surrounding demons decided to take advantage of the break to rest themselves and maybe take down a few of the fighters that stood in their way of the sacred jewel. With the sun setting on the horizon, the first long day of battle was coming to a close. Little did the weary group, composed of five demons, a half-demon, two priestesses, a demon slayer, and a monk know that their battle was a far cry from being over.


	7. Respite

Hello readers! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it is a fun one. I hope you're enjoying my story, let me know if there is anything I can do to make it better, I am open to suggestions!

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The group sat huddled together in the small space provided by Shippou's barrier. Nerves were on edge in the cramped area as everyone tried to come to some solution to their problem regarding the massive number of demons awaiting the end of this reprieve. Inuyasha, having finally discovered that Kikyo was now among his ally's, chose to sit himself as close as possible to her without sitting on her lap. Miroku, with Kirara in his arms, took his 'rightful' place beside his lovely Sango who was busy glaring daggers at the insensitive inuhanyou who couldn't keep his paws off of his undead miko.

Sango looked over cautiously to Kagome who was stuck in the middle of an overly affectionate wolf demon tribe leader, who at every chance he got was sniffing Kagome's hair, and his polar opposite, the ever thick-skinned demon lord. Sango couldn't help the small smile that came across her face, what a sight they all made. Ginta and Hakkaku were busying themselves with pulling on poor Shippou's limbs telling him if they stretched him out he'd grow faster. The space was cramped, but it served its purpose in letting them take a breather. They all grew into a comfortable stillness each looking over each other calculatingly.

"Miko, rest," Sesshoumaru stated suddenly, effectively breaking the silence.

Kagome nodded her head and closed her eyes in an attempt to catch up on some much needed sleep. Sesshoumaru didn't miss the looks of confusion that ran across the faces of the other occupants in the barrier and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The miko needed her sleep if she was going to be of any use to him, he could care less about her in particular, she was a loud mouthed, stubborn, clumsy human, why should he care?

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in suspicion; Kagome and Sesshoumaru were acting strange and he was going to figure out why. Whispering carefully so as not to disturb Kagome's sleep, he voiced his concerns.

"Are you gonna tell me what the fuck is goin' on, or do I have to pry it outta ya?"

"What this Sesshoumaru does is of no consequence to one such as you, half-breed."

"Like hell it isn't! What did you do to Kagome, why the sudden interest?!"

"You misunderstand little brother. The well-being of the ningen is merely a precaution; she is no good to me if she is not at full capacity."

Kouga, who had been listening impatiently with bottled rage, reacted in the only way he knew how against dog demons: by screaming insults.

"Who the hell do you think you are?! You ain't touchin' my woman with your filthy dog hands! It's bad enough I got inu-baka dirtying up her beautiful scent, I sure as hell ain't gonna let you make it worse!"

"Hold your tongue wolf or I will cut it out," Sesshoumaru threatened.

"Easy gentlemen," interrupted Miroku, "let's not be hasty. Lord Sesshoumaru, surely you can understand our concerns, Kagome is a dear friend, we are only looking out for her."

"Your concerns are ill placed. The ningen will be aiding this Sesshoumaru and in turn will have my protection."

"Oh yeah, and who died and left you in charge?! What makes you so sure she'll even want to help you?!" shouted Sango, finally voicing her opinion.

"That is between the miko and myself. Should anyone try to say otherwise, they will suffer the consequences," said Sesshoumaru with finality.

"I think all of you are forgetting something!" intervened Kouga, "Kagome is MY woman and-"

"She's not your woman ya mangy wolf! Get that through your thick skull!" Inuyasha shouted.

At this point in time Kikyo decided that she had heard enough about the young priestess. She gently placed a hand on Inuyasha's arm to soothe him. Inuyasha looked towards her in surprise but saw the calmness of her features willing him to calm down. Huffing and putting his hands in the sleeves of his haori, he sat back and relaxed.

Kagome, who miraculously continued to sleep through the controversy, was beginning to be a little unstable in her seated position. Her head bobbed up and down trying to catch herself reflexively before she fell. After the third attempt at keeping upright, her body finally gave in and tumbled to the side, only for her head to land on the shoulder of the demon lord sitting next to her. Caught off guard, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he instantly looked over at her sleeping form on his shoulder. Not missing the rare moment of free expression coming from his older brother, Inuyasha let out a gut rumbling laugh at Sesshoumaru's expense. The demon lord snarled at this but decided to ignore the sleeping woman; it was _he_ who commanded her to rest.

Miroku covered his laughter behind his hand and nudged Sango who was distracted by the two wolf brother ruffling up Shippou's hair. When she followed Miroku's gaze and direction of the slight nod of his head, what she saw nearly had her in a fit of giggles. There in all his glory was the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru with a small woman precariously sliding down his chest towards his lap, leaving behind a light trail of drool. In spite of himself, Sesshoumaru ran a hand across his face in utter exasperation; he questioned his decision, not for the first time, to bring this young woman back to life. Surely he could have figured out a way to dispose Naraku without her help, right?

* * *

Naraku paced the confines of his castle impatiently; _just what were those fools doing? What was taking them so long?_ He had tried several attempts to bust their barrier, but with two priestesses and a monk to reinforce it he did not have such success. The demon forces that he had sought were quickly turning against each other, which simply would not do. He needed all the advantage he could get when it came to fighting his enemies. The unexpected arrival of the wolves was surprising, but not something that would prove to be a hindrance. However, when that accursed dog demon showed up and aided the priestess which he was certain he was finally rid of; it left him a bit perturbed. Things were not exactly going to plan; perhaps he should take his leave and set his minions free to their own devices while he still had the chance. Surely if he left then the demons would seek their vengeances on the closest beings possible; this could prove to be quite favorable.

"Kagura," Naraku started.

"Yes my lord?" the wind witch replied.

"I leave the band of warriors in your hands; I trust you will not fail?"

_Oh how she hated this beast_. "Of course, whatever you say. I require some assistance however."

"You will have the demons as well as my saimyoshou (poisonous insects of hell). I will also leave Atoshi and Micharata at your disposal; see what they can do and then report to me at a later time."

"As you wish master," came Kagura's response which was dripping with loathing.

"Oh and Kagura, if anything should happen, kill them before they give any valuable information, if would not do to have my whereabouts divulged."

Naraku then tossed one of his wooden puppets onto the floor of his room and watched as it transformed into an exact duplicate of himself. He smirked and did an about-face before stealthily making his way from the castle.

Kagura looked on in disgust as Naraku fled from the battle like a coward. He was nothing short of a rat. He presumed himself quick; he was sneaky and underhanded and usually depended on others to do his dirty work. More often than not the rag tag group of warriors found themselves fighting not Naraku himself, but against his puppet. Many times Kagura found herself to be the guinea pig of Inuyasha's newfound attacks, much to her dismay. Whenever she returned to Naraku tattered he would merely chuckle amusedly and send her on her way. The worst thing about it: she could do nothing.

With a heavy breath she walked towards the awaiting courtyard filled with demons. She stopped halfway to her destination in front of two adjoining rooms in the castle. There she found one of the three newest incarnations spawned from Naraku.

Atoshi, the smaller one, had dull red hair that reached just to his shoulders and light gray eyes. His specialty was that of a shape-shifter. Although Naraku was indeed lower than the dirt he walked on, no one could deny that he was clever. Using the inner-most feelings of his enemy was his forté and he made sure to utilize those feelings to their fullest potential. Kohaku, Sango's younger brother, was more than proof enough for that theory. The boy had been cheated of his death by a tainted jewel shard embedded in his back by none other than Naraku. When fighting with the small group of warriors, Naraku made it a point to bring Kohaku every now and then to stir things up for the woman demon slayer. He thrived off the pain of others, and though Kagura was a spawn of him, even she saw this as despicable.

"Atoshi, you are to come with me, we will be retrieving your sister shortly as well," commanded Kagura.

The two incarnations made their way through the palace once again and came to another room, this time revealing a tall, slim demoness known as Micharata. The striking features of this particular demon were proudly shown off by her. She had long, almost ankle length, golden hair and deep purple colored eyes. She was as deadly as she was beautiful. Her strength flowed from her in waves of pure energy that even the simplest of humans could feel. Micharata glanced at the two at her doorway and nodded her head in understanding: it was time to make their presence known. The three of them followed the halls of the fortress, each holding onto thoughts of what was to come.

* * *

Kagome felt warm-so warm and comfortable; that had to have been one of the best sleeps she'd ever gotten. She yawned wide and allowed a contented sigh escape her lips before deciding it was time for her to wake up fully. She slowly stretched her legs out until they could go no further and her toes pointed. She then brought her arms above her head and wiggled her fingers and came into contact with something hard and covered in silk. She patted her hand around to try and decipher what was in her way when a clawed hand firmly grabbed her wrist. She started and warily opened her eyes only to be met with white silk and silver-plated armor. She glanced up further and her eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Deep amber eyes glared back at her and she felt the heat rise to her face and she turned ten different shades of red when she realized just what exactly she was laying on, or better yet, what exactly her hand came in contact with. She audibly gulped and regained her bearings to quickly sit up.

Her eyes were down cast and face still blushing, "g-gomen, gomen nasi (sorry, very sorry)," she whispered. She lifted her head again to face the ever emotionless demon lord. His usual mask of indifference was on, but an emotion was clear when it passed through his eyes; was that _amusement_? Her embarrassment was slowly ebbing towards annoyance when the look didn't go away.

"It is not rare for women to desire to touch this Sesshoumaru, it is understandable you were unable to resist," his deep baritone voice stated haughtily.

Kagome snorted at this in a clear unladylike fashion. _Stupid arrogant dogs think they're so hot with their stupid pretty silver hair._ Kagome looked over her friends in the barrier; everyone seemed to have finally drifted off into some semblance of sleep. Even Kikyo seemed to be resting while her creepy little soul stealers brought her souls for her rejuvenation. Kagome hated that the worst. Her and Kikyo seemed to be on mutual terms as of late, but she could never agree of Kikyo's use of souls; they never got a chance to seek peace in the afterlife. Kagome then turned toward Sesshoumaru who had once again taken up to looking out at the surrounding battlefield.

"Um, so was there any progress while I was asleep? What's the plan?" she asked

"Naraku has fled from battle. His presence is masked even to this Sesshoumaru," he stated. The demon lord had felt the vile hanyou's aura fade, but being the sneaky and pusillanimous bastard that he was, he hid himself completely before he was able to discern the direction in which he went. However, two strong powers had been felt shortly after Naraku's leave and he was letting his curiosity get the better of him. If he couldn't fight Naraku himself, then he would indeed settle for his spawns; one way or another a part of Naraku was going to die by his hand this day.

As if reading his thoughts, Kagome asked, "So, if Naraku is gone then why are you still here?"

Sesshoumaru took a moment to think of his response, not only did he stay around to kill off some of Naraku's evil minions, he also wanted to make sure that the miko was not harmed, it would not do well to have this girl debilitated; not before he could use her to finish off Naraku. But should he tell her this? Would it be wise? He chose then to hold off his answer.

"It would be best discussed in the company of your friends; I have no desire of repeating myself." Not an entire lie, just a certain omission of truths.

Why was he trying to assure himself? He did not have to answer to others, he was Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western lands, the most feared taiyoukai in all of Japan! She was no one of importance, just some lowly human wench of his half-brother, a means to an end as far as he was concerned. Humans were pitiful, weak, filthy, deceitful creatures; the only exception was of course his Rin. She on the other hand was loyal and obedient; and he made certain that she was well kept. Yes, she was the _only_ exception, not even the miko was an exemption.

_But she_ is_ loyal._

Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. That indeed she is. The way she clings to Inuyasha is almost sickeningly loyal. No matter how many times the half-breed runs off to be with his undead lover, the girl still stays by his side.

_She is _not_ weak._

Hai (yes), that is true as well. The girl emanates an extreme amount of power, albeit untrained and unfocused, but still a massive amount of power. _'She has even stood against this Sesshoumaru on occasion'_, not many, human or demon alike, could say this.

_She _is_ honest._

Sesshoumaru had never been in observance of a lie from her. While she sometimes does not admit her fear, even when it is blatantly obvious that she is terrified, she is not traitorous in her sham.

_She smells good._

Perhaps. But now is not the time to dwell upon such things.

"Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, effectively silencing Sesshoumaru's inner debate.

He turned his eyes toward her and kept his stoic façade while he waited for her to continue. When she still did not speak, he rose one of his elegant eyebrows in question.

Kagome had been watching intently while Sesshoumaru seemed to be thinking. He was so caught up in his thoughts that she took the time to look over his features; up close and in the dim light of the morning he made a beautiful picture. When she had thanked him she had intended to continue, but her words caught in her throat when he shifted his gaze toward her. Everything about him was pristine; although he had not slept at all and had been cramped within the barrier, nothing was out of place on his body. His clothes were immaculate, his hair held an eternal shine, and his eyes were a deep shade of amber. When he raised his eyebrow she basked in the small amount of emotion that he allowed to play across his face.

Kagome cleared her throat and continued after his eyes narrowed; she had been caught staring. "I wanted to thank you for allowing me to sleep, um, I'm sure you weren't very comfortable."

"…"

"Right uh, perhaps we should wake the others," she yielded when she realized that he was not going to comment.

She nudged Kouga who was peacefully sleeping next her and with a grunt he opened his eyes. She asked him to help her wake the others and soon everyone was once again alert. To say that Inuyasha was furious that Naraku was no longer there would have been an understatement. He was livid. It took Kikyo and Miroku twenty minutes to calm his nerves, but when they finally did, preparations were well on the way of what to do with the two new presences that had made themselves vaguely known.

The surrounding demons were getting frustrated and the small group of warriors were preparing themselves yet again for battle. With everyone well rested they stood and waited for Shippou to drop his barrier so they could continue their fight. Each of them were anxious to get out of the confined place; they were all too close for comfort.

"The miko will be coming with me," Sesshoumaru affirmed.

Kikyo started to walk forward at the same time Kagome did and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. Directing his vision towards Kikyo, he clarified his choice. "This Sesshoumaru does believe he said miko, not specter."

"What the fuck is your problem! Don't talk to Kikyo like that!" snarled Inuyasha.

"It is alright Inuyasha, his words do not injure me," stated Kikyo. It was only too obvious that Sesshoumaru detested her presence; anyone could clearly see that. He thought her a plague on the earth; not just her, but anyone in this likeness. Kikyo took his words in stride and calmed the growling hanyou.

"I swear if you let anything happen to Kagome I will rip your heart out and shove it down your throat!" Inuyasha threatened his older brother. Just because Kikyo was around didn't mean that he cast Kagome aside; he still loved her and cared for her.

"Really dear brother, must you always be so brash?"

"Look, this is getting us nowhere, can we just get on with it?!" Sango interrupted.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru was very much inclined to agree with the woman demon slayer. Any longer with these people and he was sure he would not be able to keep his poison claws to himself.

Shippou let down his barrier and all at once the demons struck with a newfound force. During the night many of the demons had fought against themselves and killed one another in hopes of being the only left standing to get the jewel. This left the small band of warriors with less than half to deal with now which they had planned on.

Inuyasha led the group with his "Wind Scar" attack which significantly decreased the oncoming force. The demons hissed and screamed as they were swallowed up in bright gold power. Sesshoumaru then unleashed his Tokijin's "Dragon Strike" attack, bringing the hoards to one-third of their remaining numbers. The ones left over looked on in fear as the majority of their fellow aggressors were slain. A few took to retreating in fear of their own lives, but many still stayed in hopes of gaining a greater power.

The group stood in waiting as the attacks paused, leaving an eerie calm over the demolished courtyard. The eyes of all the shard hunters scanned the demons, looking for even the slightest twitch to indicate their next move. There were so few left that they could count them now. Kagome had just enough time to count seventy remaining when the doors of the castle slid open to reveal the wind demoness, Kagura. Behind her stood two figures that the group had not seen before.

The two entities seemed unbothered by the events in the surrounding courtyard, the tall demon, Micharata, had a most unusually twisted smirk playing across her face. She loved battle. Since she was 'born' not two months ago, she had been in a few at Naraku's order. At that point in time he was testing her abilities against different types of demons and humans alike, each time she was the victor, but she also found out her weakness. Each time she used her uncanny strength she weakened a bit more. Her speed would suffer as would her might, but she always finished off her opponent before they could get the better of her.

Atoshi, the small, younger looking incarnation, had a frown permanently etched into his child-like face. He had no special weaknesses, when he was cut he bled just like any other. But his ability to take the form of a person most cherished to his adversary gave him the upper hand. He had to be crafty however, he could not simply take their form in front of their eyes, he had to appear to actually _be_ that person, otherwise it was too easy to see his deception.

Kagura looked on at the rag-tag group that she had met many times before. She could care less about the incarnations behind her; in fact, secretly she wished for their demise, the fewer obstacles the group had to killing Naraku the better. But, as long as Naraku held her heart, she had a job to do. Reluctantly she lifted her closed fan in front of her; a clear sign for the demons and incarnations to continue their onslaught.

Tired of the interruptions to his killing spree, Inuyasha vowed to let nothing else stop his sword. After the long night of sitting he was more than ready to stretch his limbs. He genuinely smiled when a huge boar demon started to charge; this one he would enjoy taking out with his bare hands. Inuyasha pulled his fist back and leapt towards his target. In a jaw shattering punch, the boar demon went down along with a couple of other that just so happened to be behind the thing at the time. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and continued on his merry way, slicing and dicing demons with his claws.

Sango was enjoying this fight, perhaps even more so than Inuyasha. She swung her heavy bone boomerang with harsh laughter and a look of pure bliss on her face. She looked every bit the beautiful warrior, and Miroku had the black eye to prove it. He had been fighting with a snake demon and was about to make his killing blow with his staff when he caught sight of the beauty. She looked heavenly against the now morning sky and he found he couldn't look away even if he tried. The snake demon took advantage of this and made his blow. Fortunately for Miroku, Kouga had been close at hand and he killed the demon in Miroku's place.

"Would you pay attention houshi, I like ya and all, but I ain't got time to fight your fights as well as mine!" screamed Kouga.

With a shaky nod, Miroku regained his footing and continued to exchange blows with the masses. He joined with Hakkaku and Ginta and all together they brought a few more down. The numbers were dwindling and there were only around forty left to finish.

Sesshoumaru made his way towards Kagura and the two others near her; he did not deem it worthy to waste his time with the likes of lowly demons, he would hit Naraku where it would hurt him most, and that was his 'children'.

"Kagura, it seems that your master has yet again chose to flee from this Sesshoumaru."

"In fact he has, but he left you a present," she started. "Atoshi! Micharata!"

The two newest spawns of Naraku worked their way around Kagura's form. Their moves were graceful, and it gave the impression that they were not even touching the ground at all. They were dressed in similar attire, dark black robes that hung loosely over their forms, giving them enough room to maneuver freely. The two beings came to a stop in front of the wind sorceress and set their eyes upon the demon lord and the young miko. Atoshi looked over the girl, examining her every feature and expression. His eyes locked onto hers and she felt a pulse of power rush over her body from her feet to her head. She had never felt anything like that, it was a pressure in her head, but as quickly as it came it was gone again.

Atoshi was going to use his newfound knowledge that he had just gained from reading this young mortal's thoughts. It seemed that the hanyou in the red robes was something special to her. He saw many people in this girl's mind, but by far that was the one that kept coming through the clearest. He stored this information away and moved his eyes to the powerful dog demon standing next to her. With the same quickness of sensations, Atoshi had gathered the very useful details embedded in the demon lord's mind.

Sesshoumaru felt the slight pressure in his head and narrowed his eyes at the small incarnate; _just what did he do?_ Neither beings had made a single move towards them, and being the patient demon that he is, Sesshoumaru would wait for one of them to make the first advancement; this is how he calculated his enemies capabilities.

"You can take the girl Atoshi, I want a go at the male," Micharata said with a low, soft voice. Atoshi nodded in acquiescence and in less than a blink of an eye Micharata had disappeared.

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Yay, another chapter done! Hope you liked it!

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	8. Atoshi and Micharata

Hey everyone, here's a new chapter! I hope you are liking the story, I could use some constructive critisism about how I could make this better or if there is something you would like to see happen in this story. Let me know and enjoy!

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He could feel its energy; it was fast, very fast. It may have even been faster than him, not that he would admit it. The one that Kagura had called Micharata had disappeared right before his eyes and now she could be anywhere. With Tokijin drawn, Sesshoumaru prepared himself for the unexpected. _There, right behind him! _He brought his sword behind him quickly, narrowly avoiding a strike to his back.

"Oooh, you're quick demon lord, this should prove most interesting," Micharata whispered in his ear. Sesshoumaru swung his claws around hoping to catch her off guard, but the incarnation was anticipating his move and dodged easily. She once again vanished and Sesshoumaru concentrated on her energy to pinpoint her location. She was watching him, he could tell, as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. _To the left!_ He gracefully swung his sword to the left of him just as she appeared. The sword made contact with her shoulder and sliced her skin with no resistance. Micharata recovered quickly and disappeared, only to appear right in front of him and land a punch to his stomach knocking him back.

Sesshoumaru slid to a stop with his sword embedded in the ground. _'This creature is strong, but her moves are slowing. It is only a matter of time before she succumbs to my claws.'_

Kagome was between watching Sesshoumaru battle and watching the second incarnation. The one called Atoshi had yet to move, but his eyes were scanning the surrounding area. He set eyes upon the half demon in red and made his move.

Inuyasha had carved into another demon and was about to do the same to an unsuspecting cat demon when he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision. He turned his head to the side and saw, who thought was Kagome, standing there looking at him.

"Kagome, what are you doing? Quit standing there lookin' stupid and kill somethin' will ya?" Inuyasha shouted. He then turned his gaze back towards the cat demon that had yet to discover that it was a target. When he started to move for it he was hit in the side with a large stick which made him buckle over. He looked up to find 'Kagome' standing over him, ready to take another swing. Inuyasha leapt out of the way just before the stick struck him again.

"Kagome? What the hell ya doin'?"

Atoshi, acting as Kagome, continued his way forward with the stick in his hand. Inuyasha's eyes widened and he then jumped again to avoid being hit.

"Kagome, snap out of it! What happened?!" When no answer for forthcoming from who he thought was Kagome, he knew that there was something definitely wrong. He reached for the stick that 'Kagome' was holding and yanked it from her hands. Inuyasha took her into his arms, this event seemed déjà vu to the first time she was possessed through a tainted jewel shard; he just knew that he would be able to get through to her. He was unaware of the small dagger that was hidden just beneath 'Kagome's' shirt.

Kikyo looked upon the seen with suspicious eyes, something was not right. The aura surrounding what looked to be Kagome was completely different than what it usually is. This aura held malice and hatred, not the pureness that was usually found with Kagome. Kikyo strung her bow and took aim; this was not the young girl!

"Inuyasha!" she screamed just before she let loose the arrow. Atoshi pushed away from Inuyasha seconds before the arrow hit. With the break of concentration, Atoshi reverted back to his true form and moved swiftly to his next target.

"What the fuck was that?! Where did he come from?!" Inuyasha was thoroughly confused; one minute he is looking at Kagome, or what he thought was Kagome, and the next minute, he's looking at some creepy little kid. He shook trying to rid himself of the uncomfortable goose bumps that were crawling over his skin. With a smile towards Kikyo he went back to his original target, that damned cat demon.

Atoshi punched his own hand, _'Damn that woman, he was so close to stabbing that stupid half demon!'_ He shrugged his shoulders, there would always be next time, there were still plenty of people's minds to mess with.

Kagura looked over the scene in front of her, it seemed the two other incarnations were keeping themselves busy. She looked toward Sesshoumaru and Micharata, currently at a standoff, it seems that Micharata was no longer able to evaporate, but her strength was still intact. Kagura let her eyes move about the courtyard when they fell upon the miko Kagome. Kagura's eyes enlarged when she saw the smirk on Kagome's face when she fired her arrow. Kagura fell backwards on her rear just missing being shot.

"Bitch! You almost hit me!" she sneered.

"Kinda the point Kagura, or did you forget that you sent me to the afterlife?" Kagome retorted. She knocked another arrow into her bow and took aim once again. Kagura regained her footing and started to reach for her fan.

"Don't even think about it Kagura," Kagome stated calmly. She knew that the wind sorceress was going to go for her fan, but she was not about to let that happen. However, being the gentle person that she is, Kagome could not decide what to do with her now. She didn't want to kill her, that just wasn't in her nature.

"I don't have time for this miko, I've got more pressing matters to tend to." With that Kagura snatched a feather from her hair and jumped upon it when it grew. The winds took her away from the castle grounds and to a safer distance in the sky to continue her oversight of the two newest 'children' of Naraku.

Kagome let out a breath that she had been holding. _'I just couldn't do it, even though she literally _killed_ me, I still couldn't bring myself to take her life.'_ She looked around to find where she was needed. Kouga was relentless in his kicks and punches, it didn't even look like he had a scratch on him. She shook her head and smiled when she saw the deep concentration lines on his face, he just really loved to brawl. She moved her eyes to Ginta, Hakkaku, and Miroku. The three of them made a really good team and each brought something else to the fight. Ginta's punches were quite accurate, Hakkaku's kicks were strong, and Miroku wielded his staff like a professional fighter instead of a holy man.

Kagome looked just behind them to where Shippou was holding his barrier. She noticed a demon bird pecking at the barrier and although his barrier was strong, she could sense his unease at the situation. With practiced ease, Kagome shot her arrow at the offending demon and watched it turn to dust within her pink purifying energy. Shippou looked towards her and smiled in thanks and Kagome in turn, nodded her head.

She continued her scan of the courtyard and rested her eyes on Sango. The demon slayer's moves were calculated and smooth. She was graceful and held a fierce look in her eyes while she attacked her opponent. Kagome then turned her eyes slightly to take in what was fighting her friend and was utterly shocked to see her crossing weapons with Miroku. She did a double take and rubbed her eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on her. She then turned her head to the right to where she thought she had just seen Miroku with the wolf brothers and found that he was still there. Scratching her head she looked back to Sango and then back to the wolf brothers, taking in both of the Miroku forms.

Coming out of her stupor, Kagome grabbed for another arrow and aimed for the Miroku that was fighting Sango; it didn't take a super genus to figure out which one was the real one. She pulled the bowstring back tight and prepared to fire.

"There you are you bastard! You can't fool me this time!" screamed Inuyasha. He'd been watching from a distance as Kagome, who he thinks is that little brat Atoshi, take aim for Sango. At the time he did not take notice that there were two Miroku's, and he could not see who Sango was fighting with; all that mattered was that that little twerp had taken Kagome's form again and was about to shoot his friend.

"Inu-" Kagome started but halted her words when she saw the deadly glint in Inuyasha's eyes. She was confused at first and looked behind her to see if there was a demon that she had not noticed, but quickly turned back when she realized he was talking to her! Kagome 'eeped!' as she dove for the ground just seconds before Inuyasha's claws swept over her. _'What the heck is he thinking?! He almost took my head off!'_ She quickly rose to her feet and rolled out of the way just as Inuyasha's feet landed hard on the ground she had just occupied.

Inuyasha was getting frustrated with all of dodging this kid was doing. "Hold still ya little monster!"

Enough was enough! "SIT BOY!" Kagome commanded as Inuyasha rounded another attack on her. He was cut short and plummeted to the ground face first when the subjugation beads' spell worked its magic.

"Inuyasha what is your problem?! How dare you attack me like that!" berated Kagome as she watched him struggle out of his body shaped hole. "What were you thinking?!"

"I thought you were that damned kid with the red hair!" shouted Inuyasha.

"Um, Inuyasha, if you haven't noticed…I have BLACK HAIR!"

"Damn it wench I know that! That _thing_ looked like you when it attacked me!"

"Yeah?! Well now it's attacking Sango so stop interfering!" She picked up her arrow that lay discarded on the ground and turned back towards Sango. The demon slayer was keeping up with the skilled incarnation who had now reverted to his true form. Kagome took aim once again and then let her arrow fly. The arrow cut through the air with a bright pink streak of light and went straight for her intended target. The incarnation felt the power moments before it struck him and only had time to move back to prevent himself from being purified completely. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't fast enough and his right arm was purified to dust.

Kagura, who had been watching from above, could not hide the smile that came across her face when the small incarnation lost his right arm. A smooth buzzing noise caught her attention and she cringed, '_Naraku will be upset with me if I don't save his spawn, and I would rather not have my heart squeezed today.'_ The wind witch quickly swooped down and grabbed Atoshi just before the demon slayer could hit him with her sword. Hastily retreating back to her aerial vantage point, Kagura looked for the other incarnation to map her progress while the small group of warriors returned to fighting the remaining demons.

Micharata was tiring; her moves were slow and her strength was giving out on her. The demon lord in front of her proved to be more of a fight than she thought; he never tired! She had gotten a couple of punches and kicks in, but it only seemed to add fuel to his fire.

Sesshoumaru could not say that he was not impressed, the incarnate held her own and even managed to strike him. However, she was slowing and he was just getting warmed up. Pity, he really could've used a good spar.

Micharata made her move at him; she used the last ounce of her strength to summon one more good disappearance, she would have to make this one count. If her plan was successful she could pop up behind him and strike a hole through his heart and he would be none the wiser. She evaporated once more and focused her strength into one final punch that was aimed for the demon lord's heart through his back.

Sesshoumaru was not expecting her to disappear again, but he did not let it throw off his senses. He focused once more on her energy, _from the back_, came his warning. He spun around and thrust his hand forward at the air only to come in contact with his target. Sesshoumaru tightened his hand around Micharata's neck and narrowed his eyes at her. She did not expect him to know where she was and was now having to come to terms with her own demise. If she had to die, then she wouldn't have it any other way; this demon had been a most formidable opponent.

"You will tell this Sesshoumaru where Naraku is," the demon lord demanded.

Micharata regarded him with hatred and awe. Never had she felt so much power emitting off of one being, it was astounding. She thought about his demand for a moment; she was going to die at any rate so she could not see the harm in telling him what he wanted to know. Like most of his incarnations, Micharata held nothing but loathing for her creator; he was malevolent and conniving and always sent her or her siblings to do his dirty work. For him to die would be nothing short of marvelous.

"Alright, I'll tell you whe-ugh!" Micharata never got to finish her confession. Kagura had been watching from her safe distance and witnessed the transition. She almost hoped that Micharata would not say anything and allow Sesshoumaru to end her life, but now she had to be the one to do it. Just as Micharata was about to release Naraku's whereabouts, Kagura sent her dance of blades towards her back and effectively ended the incarnations existence. With a sigh, she and Atoshi took their leave of the battle grounds to return to Naraku; he would not be happy.

Sesshoumaru was holding the incarnation's body as Kagura killed her. He tossed the lifeless carcass away and sneered in the direction in which the wind sorceress stole away. _'Damn her, she and Naraku cannot hide from this Sesshoumaru forever.'_ The demon lord swiped his claws free from the blood that had accumulated there. With one last look toward the miko and her group of fighters, Sesshoumaru took to his demon cloud and left the scene; what little demons were left the group was more than capable of handling. Besides, he had a ward to check up on. _'I will be seeing you again soon, miko.'_

The rag-tag group of warriors huddled back to back in the middle of the courtyard, each of them ready to finally finish this organized battle that Naraku had set up. The sun was well passed its zenith and working its way behind the mountain range, signaling the end of the second day of this fight. The group took up their combat stances for one last go and let loose their battle cries. Inuyasha swung his Tessaiga without abandon and slashed through his challengers. The wolf brothers and Kouga worked their way skillfully through the small crowd of demons while the two priestesses' arrows struck true. Sango sliced through the airborne opponents with her sword while atop Kirara who was also contributing to the fight.

The final demon fell to Inuyasha's sword and the group heaved a great sigh of relief.

"Allow me to take care of clean-up," said Miroku. "Stand behind me everyone, don't want to get sucked up now." He removed his prayer beads when everyone was at a safe distance away. Soon, the carnage that was left on the battlegrounds was all but a memory and he even took special pleasure in watching Naraku's most recent castle being sucked into the air void. With a nod of his head, he covered up his hand once again and returned to his friends' side.

"So Kagome, you ready to leave dog breath and become my woman yet?" asked the ever cocky Kouga. He raced over towards Kagome and took hold of both of her hands. She blushed at the contact and averted her eyes to the ground.

"She ain't goin' with you shit for brains," Inuyasha answered.

"Look Kouga, thank you so much for helping, and Ginta and Hakkaku as well," Kagome started, "but I think I'll stay with Inuyasha." She ended with one of her award winning smiles that made Kouga putty in her hands every time.

"Well, alright Kagome. But all you have to do is say the word and I'll send this puppy packing," Kouga said as he thrust his thumb toward Inuyasha. The half demon growled low in his throat and Kouga took that as his queue to leave. "Come on boys, we got work to do, Naraku isn't gonna find himself!" Ginta and Hakkaku said goodbye to their 'sister' and took off after Kouga who was already a whirlwind in the distance.

"Good riddance," spat Inuyasha. The others waved good bye and proceeded to pack up what was left of their belongings.

"Hey, where did Sesshoumaru go?" asked Kagome.

"Keh! Who cares," Inuyasha started, "just one person less to have to deal with. Probably went off to find his toad servant so he could have something to kick around."

"Inuyasha, come with me," Kikyo requested suddenly. He nodded dumbly and she took Inuyasha's hand and led him away from the group. The others looked at Kagome who was fighting back tears while trying to pack her bag.

"It's alright guys, really. He's made his choice and I'm going to honor that," stated Kagome proudly. She continued gathering her things into her yellow backpack and soon the group set out on their way, knowing that Inuyasha would be more than capable of finding his way back to them.

"Inuyasha's such a baka," stated Shippou.

"Yes indeed he is," Miroku replied, "but lady Kagome has already made it clear that she's going to stand by his side no matter what, and I will follow her decision."

The group continued into the forest to find a suitable place to rest for the night. It had been a very long and hard couple of days and they were all more than ready to sleep off their exhaustion. A short distance later they find a prime spot to make camp. The trees canopied just enough to give them shelter but still let the stars shine through, and one of the many hot springs that littered Japan's country side was close at hand.

After a quick meal and some casual banter, Kagome, Sango, and Shippou head for the much awaited water for a bath. The steam cleansed their troubles away, and shampoo felt wonderful after being covered in demon entrails. When they felt that they had rubbed their skin raw they left their wonderful bath and returned to camp.

The group found themselves in conversation, talking of recent events and future lines of attack should they happen upon Naraku soon. Their talks took a solemn turn when it came to Kagome's disappearance and the sudden shock that had set over them when they saw Kagome lying lifeless in the courtyard.

"Kagome, you don't know how worried we were about you. It just wasn't the same without you being near us," Sango stated. "When I thought we had lost you, I…I…" She couldn't finish her sentence as she broke down into tears. Kagome was immediately by her side, giving her friend, that was more like a sister, as much comfort as she possible could.

Sango choked back a couple of tears and hiccupped as she tried to continue. "If it hadn't have been for Sesshoumaru, we would have lost you for good. Kami Kagome, I'm so sorry I didn't fight harder to help you, if I'd have just been faster, none of this would have ever happened!"

"That's where you're wrong Sango," Miroku spoke up. "It was entirely my fault that any of this came to pass. I was put in charge of keeping watch over the group and I failed. Please forgive me Kagome, if I would have been diligent, you would have never found yourself in the clutches of Naraku."

Kagome shuddered as she thought on her time she was held captive. Naraku had pushed her strength to the limit, at some points in time wishing that he would just kill her and get it over with. She had managed to zap him a couple of times with her miko powers, but all the same he still got the better of her. The entire time that she was there she never thought to blame her friends for her being taken, they did not mean for this to happen.

"If anyone is to blame it's Naraku!" Kagome shouted. "You guys are my best friends, I know that you didn't mean for this to happen, you all did your best to help me, and that's why I am here now, safe!"

"He'll pay for taking you Kagome, I'll make sure of it!" Shippou declared puffin out his chest. The group smiled at him, and little did he know, but Shippou's proud statement helped ease the thick tension that had settled over the group and gave them newfound encouragement to finally see Naraku fall.

"Yo!"

"Hello Inuyasha, it is nice to see you well," Miroku said. To be quite honest, he was a bit upset at the actions of his hanyou friend. They had just fought a two-day long battle and been witness to Kagome's dead body being brought back to life, and the first thing he does when the battle was over was leave with Kikyo. He was shocked, to say the least, that Kagome hadn't 'sat' him to hell and back.

"What's with the dirty looks?" Inuyasha said as he took in the glares coming from Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?"

"You really are dense sometimes you know that?" proceeded Sango. Her thoughts were along the same line as Miroku's; what was Inuyasha thinking running off with Kikyo?

"Feh! I don't know what the big deal is with you people, Kikyo and I just needed to talk," barked Inuyasha.

"Ah, so you do know why we are upset. So tell me, why is it that you chose to ignore lady Kagome after the fight if you knew it would hurt her?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha looked towards Kagome, but instead of seeing hurt in her eyes, he saw sympathy. Sympathy for what? He didn't need anyone's pity. "Look, Kagome knows that I'm happy she's not hurt, and she knows that I wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt her."

"Yeah right," three of them mumbled.

"Look guys, it's alright," Kagome intervened. "Inuyasha, I'm happy for you. If you and Kikyo can work things out, then do it; you both deserve a second chance."

Inuyasha blushed a bit and then turned, stuffing his hands into his sleeves. He would never admit it, but having Kagome's blessing meant more to him than anything. "Feh! If you guys are done with this little love fest, I'm getting some sleep." He jumped into a tree not far from the fire at camp and settled in for the night.

Kagome smiled and turned back towards her friends. She rolled out her sleeping bag and climbed in for the first time in over two weeks. She smiled and sighed happily as she cuddled into the bag and looked up at the stars. '_Sesshoumaru's not as bad as everyone thinks he is.' _"Where the heck did that come from?" she asked herself quietly.

'_That's all I need, to start thinking about Inuyasha's brother. Yes Kagome, make your life even _more_ difficult. Still, he saved my life, MY life, a human! He even joked with me, that was something I definitely wasn't expecting. I can't believe I drooled on him, how embarrassing, it's not fair that he never loses face, he always looks regal with his pretty silver hair and those piercing eyes…'_ Kagome stopped herself right their.

"Yup, definitely thinking _way_ too much about Sesshoumaru. That could be hazardous to my health if he ever found out," she mused to herself. She quieted her thoughts when she felt Shippou crawl in next to her and curl up by her stomach. She patted his head and turned to his side to cuddle up with him and the two fell into a good night's sleep.

"Sango, if you want to get some sleep, I promise I will be extra attentive in my watch," Miroku said.

"I know you will, but I'm just to worried to go to sleep. I trust you to watch over us, but I couldn't sleep right now even if I wanted to," Sango replied.

Miroku nodded his understanding and took his place next to a tree trunk to rest. He took one last look at Sango before he closed his eyes for sleep.

The campsite was quiet and light snoring could be heard from a couple of the habitants. No one noticed the pair of amber eyes that watched over their camp that night, and no one noticed that the pair of eyes drifted mostly to the young women nestled in the bed roll.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had made it back to his small entourage just after the battle with no interruptions. He saw Rin dancing around his dragon Ah-Un and Jaken sound asleep next to a tree. He mentally sighed to himself, he had specifically told Jaken to watch her and here he was sleeping on the job.

The demon lord stealthily made his way toward his sleeping retainer and found a decent size rock; perfect for throwing. With accuracy any baseball player would envy, Sesshoumaru pitched the rock straight for Jaken's head, making perfect contact. The little toad squealed as he fell over from his nap and immediately started cursing for the culprit to show themselves. When Jaken caught sight of his master's form standing not five feet away from him, he immediately hit the ground, bowing his forgiveness.

"Jaken, your duties were to watch over Rin where they not?"

"Y-y-yes Lord Sesshoumaru."

"And were you or where you not just sleeping, inadvertently disobeying orders?"

"Y-y-yes Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken confessed pitifully. He knew this day would come; they day when he would be cast from this world. He had fallen asleep while watching over his lord's ward, an act must punishable by death. Lucky for him, said ward was the one who saved him from his fate this day.

"Lord Sesshoumaru how I missed you so!" yelled the little girl while she clung himself to his leg. He allowed himself to pat her head and glared towards Jaken.

"Jaken, see that you do not allow yourself to slacken on your duties to this Sesshoumaru."

"Of course Lord Sesshoumaru, whatever you say Lord Sesshoumaru, this lowly Jaken is forever in your service Lord Sesshoumaru," babbled the small toad quickly while bowing.

"Hn."

"Rin, be ready to leave."

"Yes Lord Sesshoumaru!" The little girl made her way back over to the two headed dragon and began packing her flowers that she had picked for her lord. She was glad that he was back, two days with Jaken was incredibly boring. He never wanted to play and when she decided to play with him regardless, he was forever yelling about "filthy human this" and "annoying child that". Granted, Lord Sesshoumaru never was very talkative, but he at least kept her entertained by kicking Jaken every now and then and throwing the occasional rock his way.

When the small group was ready, they set off towards the West. The demon lord did not hold sentimentality in many things, but his home lands were one of the few things that made his very short list. The small company walked well into the night when Sesshoumaru finally allowed them to stop and make camp. Rin was fast asleep in a matter of seconds while Jaken continued to feed the fire. Every now and then he would look up to see his lord and master deep in thought; not that it wasn't unusual, his Lord Sesshoumaru was a very insightful person, but tonight it seemed as if he were somewhere else. The object of his own inner musing suddenly stood up and removed himself from beside the tree.

"Jaken, keep watch over Rin, I will return before sunrise," Sesshoumaru stated.

"Yes milord."

Sesshoumaru made his way through the forest with smooth calculated steps. Not a sound could be heard coming from him as he continued to walk quietly. Up ahead he saw the light of a small campfire and directed his path there. He strategically masked his scent and aura so as not to catch the attention of the group, and stealthily made his way closer.

He observed the group and listened to their conversation turn from idle chat to a torrent of emotions. The demon slayer broke down to tears and the miko and monk comforted her. He watched as his brother made his way into the camp and was slightly disgusted to hear that he had been with the undead priestess, and was shocked when the miko, Kagome, gave he and his former love her blessing.

Once again he caught himself fascinated with the young woman before him. She obviously held strong feelings for his half-brother, but pushed her own happiness aside for him. _'Ridiculous,'_ thought Sesshoumaru.

He watched as the young miko slipped inside her bed roll and relax. _'What is it about her that intrigues this Sesshoumaru so?' _He continued to watch over her and almost lost his stoic façade when he heard her out loud confession. Almost. Sesshoumaru propped himself against a tree and remained their in quiet observance while the camp grew silent.

Only when he saw the first light of the morning did he take his leave and begin his trek back to his own camp.

* * *

Whew! Another one down! I'll try and update again soon! 


	9. Strength of Will

Hello again everyone! Here's another chapter; it mainly ties up loose ends so that I can continue on with the main plot. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story, I appreciate the lovely comments! If anyone wants to see something specific in my story just let me know and I'll see what I can do.

* * *

It had been four days since the battle at Naraku's castle ended and today found the group traveling back towards Kaede's village. The group needed a break from traveling and some nice home-cooked food. Kagome desperately wanted to see her family after everything that happened and maybe take a nap on her nice warm, comfortable bed. All of them were travel weary and they were still two days away from the village of Edo. Although there was still some tension among the group, every step they took brought them closer to feeling normal again.

Miroku and his ever-wandering hands had not ceased in their quest to grope Sango every chance they got; damn that cursed hand of his. Likewise, Sango's aim with her boomerang in connection to Miroku's head was vastly improving. Inuyasha still seemed distant towards Kagome, but everyone could tell that he was more than happy to have her back, if his good mood was anything to show for it. Shippou had never stopped being anything but go-lucky and he was constantly practicing to erect his new barrier. Kagome, on the other hand, was battling her own inner demons. Granted, she was happy to be back with her friends, but she could not help but think of how close she was to being lost to them all for good.

When she had been captured she had never felt so helpless; she was terrified that she would never see her family and friends again and that thought helped her to make her most recent decision.

Kagome was tired of being a victim; she was tired of always having to depend on someone to come to her rescue whenever there was a tiny bit of trouble. The thought of training to advance her miko powers had crossed her mind once or twice, but she had never acted on those thoughts. However, recent events made her re-think her position.

Sesshoumaru had told her straight out that she was to be used to destroy Naraku, so why not do any and every thing in her power to make sure that it was a smooth transition? When they got back to the village she was going to ask Kaede to refer her to a miko who could train her and help her develop her inner powers. Kaede, a strong miko in her own right, would be a great teacher. Unfortunately, she had once broached the subject before with her and the old woman had told her that she was just too old and not near as strong a miko that should be training her. After that conversation, Kagome dropped the subject; if Kaede could not teach her, then no one could.

Kagome now sang a different tune, things were going to be different from here on out. No more _'Help me Inuyasha' _or _'Somebody help me'_. No. Never again. She would seek out a miko to train her and she would bring an end to the evil hanyou once and for all!

With her choice made, Kagome held her head up high and continued on her way with a new resolve: become strong. Not for anyone else, but for herself.

"What are you smiling about?" Sango asked. She had been watching Kagome and saw the many emotions that had passed over her friend's face. Just what was she thinking about?

"I've made a decision," she stated. At this announcement, the group stopped and looked at her expectantly.

"Well, what is it?" inquired the ever impatient Inuyasha.

"I'm going to ask Kaede to refer me to a miko who can train me in developing my skills," Kagome started. "I'm tired of being a burden to all of you all the time; it's time I did something useful to benefit the group."

"Kagome, I want you to know that you are anything but a burden to us," Miroku said. "But I do agree that this could be very helpful, and I will assist in any way possible to help you in your endeavor."

"You know that you have my full support Kagome. I want you to be confident in yourself, and if this is what you want, then I say go for it!" agreed Sango.

"What do you think Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"I think it's a pretty good idea. Then we'll have twice as much power among us to take down Naraku. Just let me know what I can do Kagome," stated Inuyasha.

"Wow, thanks guys, you don't know how much it means to me to have all of your support," Kagome elated.

The band of warriors once again found themselves comfortable in each other's presence. They all began to joke and laugh again as they continued their way towards Kaede's village. Kagome's decision seemed to have broken the ice that was building among them, and she could not have been happier.

* * *

For the past few days Sesshoumaru had found himself looking in on the miko and her group as they made their way towards the small village in which they seemed to call home. He was angry at himself for letting such a small woman get to him like this; he never found a human so interesting before and although he knew she was a powerful miko, he could not bring himself to use that as an excuse to follow her.

However, he was never one to question himself, and he did not intend to start doing so now. He was a curious being and he had every right to indulge his inquisitiveness. Sesshoumaru had overheard Kagome talking about seeking out an older miko to train her, and he had to admit that he was impressed that she was taking this step to better herself.

He slowly shook his head and started back to his camp. He had been leaving more often as of late and figured it was time that he took his ward back to his home so that he would not have to worry about her safety while he was gone. Sesshoumaru had a mission: find Naraku and kill the bastard. Ever since he had pulled his disappearing act from the battle the demon lord had been openly seeking him out. It was faster traveling alone so he often left his ward, Rin and his vassal Jaken to their own devices while he traveled. In the past couple of days he had heard of very few rumors of a demonic aura headed towards the southeast; and since there were no other clues, he had followed them, only to be disappointed in the end.

His search would be relentless until he found the vile half-breed, no one could hide from Sesshoumaru once he decided they should be found. His olfactory senses had been on high alert for any sign of Naraku, but so far had proven unsuccessful. No matter, in time there would be no place for the half-demon to hide, he would kill him before he let him out of his sight again. Yes, he admitted that he had made the mistake of taking his eyes off of Naraku, but at the time it could not be helped; the young miko that was the key to finishing the bastard off was still unprepared, still woozy and fatigued, it would have done no good to deny her a break.

'_Damn, it would have been easier if I would have just left her for dead,' _Sesshoumaru thought.

* * *

Arriving at Kaede's village was uneventful. The travelers set their belongings down in the small hut and flopped down onto the mats provided for them for their rest. Kagome said a quick farewell to all of them and set out to the Bone Eaters well to visit her family. Inuyasha had, of course, insisted that she stay with them in the feudal era, but it seemed as if he did so to simply keep up appearances. He only threatened her once before letting her go on her way.

The small group that was now minus one, sat around the small fire in the middle of the hut, happily partaking in the delicious stew that Kaede had made for them. She asked them of their travels and was, needless to say, frightened and relieved for Kagome whom almost lost her life. The old woman shook her head; trouble seemed to follow that poor girl wherever she went and being the kind heart that Kagome is, she no doubt had a hard time fighting back. There was no doubt in the elder miko's mind that Kagome was sent to this place to do wonderful things, the girl radiated a pure power and her heart was a beautiful purity that was almost impossible to find.

Kaede's heart cried out for the girl, she was unwillingly thrown into such a harsh life at such a young age, but never once complained about it. Kagome graciously accepted her fate and did her best to help her friends and those in need. Kaede looked around the small hut at her young companions; each of them had a story of their own hardships, each of them at one point or another being ripped away from someone they loved. Kagome had slowly begun to mend all of their hearts and brought all of these bleeding hearts together; and what an odd group they made! They were a strong bunch, each with their own talents and strengths to add to the group. However, as strong as they were, she could not expect them to forever protect Kagome when they are in the heat of battle. The old woman sighed; perhaps it is time she sought out a miko to train Kagome.

"What's wrong Kaede?" asked Shippou.

"Nothing child, I was merely lost in thought. I am glad ye all returned safely," she responded.

"Indeed, it was quite a long journey. It is nice to have shelter to sleep in again," Miroku commented.

"It's been a long time since we've all had a decent night's sleep, I'll be glad to have a roof over my head, if not for a little while," Sango said.

"Feh, you guys complain too much. Sleeping outside ain't so bad," spoke Inuyasha.

"Yes, well, not everyone can find a nice comfortable branch to roost in for the night," Sango started. "Give us a break, we're only human."

"Fine, but don't get too comfortable," Inuyasha said. "As soon as Kagome gets back, we're setting out again. Naraku is still out there, and I'll be damned if he gets too far away from us."

The rest nodded in agreement and went about their leisurely activities. Kagome had said she would be gone for about three days, so they had plenty of ample time to rest and recuperate. Weapons needed to be sharpened and cleaned and getting in some practice couldn't hurt any.

* * *

Kagome watched as she was enveloped in the familiar blue light of the ancient magic of the well. She smiled happily and climbed her way out of the well and headed towards her home. She called out to her mother who was in the kitchen cooking; upon seeing her, Kagome flung her arms around her mom in a tight hug. Her mother was more than happy to see her daughter safe and sound, it always worried her when she went off to fight demons, and although Inuyasha was there to protect her, in didn't stop her anxiety.

"Kagome dear, I'm glad you're home. Are you hungry? Would you like some dinner?"

"Yes please. I think I'll go take a bath, I'll be down in a bit."

Kagome hugged her mom once more and headed up the stairs. Her brother's door was open so she peeped her head in to see what he was doing. Souta was engrossed in one of his video games and had yet to notice her presence. Kagome used this to her advantage. She snuck around his seated form and then flung herself on top of him, mercilessly tickling his sides.

Souta had not noticed his sister standing in his doorway, nor did he notice her stalking up to him. He let out a high pitched squeal when he was tackled to the floor and could not contain his laughter as his sides were attacked by Kagome's skilled tickling fingers.

"Sis…please…stop!" Souta pleaded in between giggles.

Kagome relented and let her brother take in some much needed air. She ruffled his hair and he playfully swatted her hand away.

"You really shouldn't play those games so much, they'll fry your brain," Kagome taunted.

"Yeah, well, it's boring here without you around. I have to do something," Souta replied.

She gave a small smile to her brother and gently patted his head. She felt bad for always leaving, but Souta had always been the most supportive. Souta loved that his sister fought demons, she was really cool! Plus, he got to meet Inuyasha, his new hero, who always taught him a new fighting technique whenever he came. Souta missed her very badly when she was gone, but he looked up to her and vowed to one day be just like his big sister.

"Mom's making dinner, I'm going to take a bath and then go down to eat. You should wash up and go see if she needs any help," said Kagome. He nodded and she walked out of his room to take a much needed and desired bath in her big tub.

It was not too much longer when she emerged from her bath, now fresher and cleaner than she had felt in months. She dressed and walked down to join her family for dinner who were all waiting expectantly for her arrival. She took in all of their faces, content that she got to see them again. She took her seat and they all helped themselves to dinner. Kagome felt at ease with them while they laughed and talked about the goings on in their lives. When dinner was over Kagome volunteered to help her mother with the dishes so she could have a chance to talk to her privately.

"Mom, I just wanted you to know that I am going to be away for a while," Kagome started.

Her mother sighed; Kagome was gone for almost two months in between her trips last time, how much longer was she going to be away this time?

Taking a deep breath her mother voiced her question. "How long will you be gone dear?"

"I'm not exactly sure. While I was gone this time a lot of things happened that made me think about my usefulness in the group. When I get back to feudal Japan, I'm going to ask Kaede to refer me to a miko who will help me develop my skills. I'm not sure how long that will take."

"I see. Please…just be careful dear, you know I worry about you."

"I know mama. Don't worry, I'll send Inuyasha every now and then to give you an update on my well-being; I don't want you to be worried."

Her mother gave her a tired smile and a thank you before sending Kagome off to bed. Kagome walked into her room and collapsed on her bed for the first time in a long time. It did not take a long time for sleep to come to her and she was thrown into a world of peaceful dreams.

The days she spent with her family and friends went by quickly, too quickly. Soon she found herself in the arms of her family, wishing them well and telling them that she would keep in touch. She slowly made her way to the well house and made her way down the steps. Kagome took the time to study the well, bracing herself against it and peering inside its black depth. So many adventures had started here; so many memories were birthed on that fateful day that she was dragged into the well by a crazed centipede demon. It took her to the place where she first fell in love.

Kagome shook her head to rid herself of the traitorous thoughts; Inuyasha and Kikyo were meant to be together, she had told him that she wished them the best. As much as she wanted love, it was not what was important right now. Now she had to focus on her strength, now she had to focus on herself. She determinedly nodded her head and jumped through the well once again to return to the world of five-hundred years past.

Inuyasha, as promised, was waiting at the well for her to return. When he saw the blue light of the magic he jumped down from his perch on a nearby tree and started for the well. He grabbed Kagome's hand as it emerged from the well and also took her gigantic backpack that was no doubt filled with ramen and other ninja food that he had grown so accustomed to.

"Alright Inuyasha you can give me my bag back now."

"Feh! Come on Kagome, where's my ramen?!"

"Is that all you think about? No 'hi Kagome, nice to see you'?" she sarcastically asked.

"Yeah whatever," he smiled. "Come on, I think Kaede wants to talk to you," he said as he lead her towards the village.

The walk was made mostly in silence; Inuyasha had had three days to come to terms with the fact that Kagome would be gone for some time. He would miss her; he would miss her a lot. She had been the one constant in his life for the past few years and now she wasn't going to be near him every day. She was the best friend he had.

"Inuyasha, while I am gone, do you think you could go to my family every now and then and tell them I'm okay?" she asked.

"Sure." That was the _least_ he could do after all that has happened. He looked over at her and smirked; she sure had grown up a lot since she first came here. He wasn't a pervert or anything, but Kagome had filled out in all the right places. He was a man after all, he wasn't blind; he could see that she was indeed an attractive female. If he didn't love Kikyo so much, he would not have a problem with being with Kagome, she was everything a guys could want: smart, loyal, funny, beautiful, and she had a stubborn side to her that some would fine annoying, but he found endearing. Giving himself a mental shake, he raised the mat in the doorway to allow her through into the hut.

"Hi everyone!" Kagome shouted.

All the occupants of the hut simultaneously replied their hellos and pleasantries. Everyone knew that Kagome would be leaving soon for her training, although they didn't know when and where yet, so they were planning on making their time together as pleasant as possible until then. Sure, she wasn't going to be gone forever, but just the thought of her being away from them for an indefinite period of time was a bit unsettling. What would happen when one day she had to return to her time for good?

Inuyasha and Kagome found a seat and made themselves comfortable in the small hut. Kagome was going to miss these moments when they could all sit around and talk about nothing important, just enjoying the time they had together. The next few months were going to be challenging, she knew, and moments like these were going to help her through it. She watched as Miroku's "cursed" hand made its way to its favorite object, Sango's bottom. Sango was in the middle of her sentence when she felt the offending object grasp her rear and without missing a beat, she fisted her hand and gave the lecherous monk a nice black eye. Inuyasha guffawed at the stupid letch as he soothingly rubbed his hand over his now swollen eye. The demon slayer and the monk would always be a great form of entertainment.

As night drew upon the small village, the young miko finally worked up the courage to ask Kaede about referring her to a priestess for training. The room grew quiet as everyone listened to their conversation.

"Kaede, I have been thinking about strengthening my priestess abilities and was wondering if you could recommend a miko to help train me," Kagome asked almost hesitantly.

Kaede thought deeply for a moment, it was not like she could just send the young prodigy to just _any_ miko. The girl assumed a great amount of power within her small being. During the three days that the girl had been gone visiting her family, Kaede had thought about who would be able to help her if she so desired to seek training. She had narrowed it down to two priestess that she had known for quite some time; Isaki who resided in a large village about three days travel from where they were, and Megumi, a priestess who lived in a remote area of Japan's country side in a small village about ten days travel.

Both priestesses were very powerful and both would no doubt train Kagome well. Both held little patience when it came to training and would no doubt be hard on the poor girl, but in the end it would be in her best interest to have tough love. Isaki was a very wise teacher and had trained many accomplished mikos. She was known far and wide for her instructions and would teach Kagome all she knew. Megumi was a very excellent instructor, but her talents were not so well known. She did not have very many close alliances, but living in a small village would give Kagome the privacy she would need to conduct her training. The fewer people who knew about the training, the safer she would be.

"I have thought of two priestesses that would be best suited for training ye: Isake who lives in a village not too far from here and then there is Megumi who lives a bit further from here. Both are very talented instructors and have much to offer ye," Kaede finally explained.

"So which one do you recommend? Is there one that you prefer?" asked Kagome.

"I believe it would be in ye best interest to take up instruction under Megumi's care. She resides in a smaller village and the fewer people who know of ye lessons, the better; although her village is ten days travel from here."

"Well then it's settled. I'll ask this Megumi to take me under her wing and begin my training with her."

"I will send a parchment with ye to state your purpose with her, she will allow ye within her care once she reads it," Kaede spoke assuredly.

Kagome nodded and watched as Kaede began to write her message on a piece of parchment. _'Wow,'_ she thought, _'this is really happening, I'll be leaving the group for a while, doing something on my own.'_ She felt a sense of self-pride well up inside of her, _'This isn't going to be so bad, and besides, when I am done, I'll be able to help out with taking down Naraku, I will not be a burden anymore!'_

"Well I believe it would be in our best interest if we all got some sleep. If we are heading out tomorrow then we'll need all of our strength to make this long trip," Miroku suggested.

"Aye, that would be wise of ye. Kagome, I have faith in your abilities and I know that ye will make us all very proud," spoke Kaede.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me," Kagome said softly.

The entourage laid around the fire silently. Kagome was stroking Shippou's hair while he slept on, she would miss him so much, but they had promised to come and visit her every now and then to make sure she was doing ok. _'It's not forever,'_ she kept reminding herself. Inuyasha had his eyes closed but Kagome doubted he was asleep; he was never one to do much sleeping. Kagome stole a glance over to Sango and Miroku. She couldn't hear what they were whispering about, but every now and then Sango would cover her mouth with her hand while she giggled and blushed. Those two were so in love it was painfully obvious, but only when Naraku was destroyed would they be able to take their relationship to the next level.

Naraku: a worthless creature that hurt so many people. He was the reason for so many deaths and so much heartache. Her friends alone had suffered so much; it was for them mostly that she would gladly see him die. _'Sesshoumaru said that I was a key asset to destroying Naraku. I owe Sesshoumaru my life, I wonder if he would approve of me seeking training with a miko. I am supposed to comply with his orders with no questions asked, but what if he has less than admirable purposes for me, I mean, what if he sacrifices me to get Naraku?!'_ Just thinking that way had Kagome's temper flaring; there was _no_ way that she was going to allow that stuck up demon to sacrifice her life, she was the only one that could make that decision.

Kagome tried not to think on this any more, this was going to be one of the last nights with her friends for a while and she wasn't going to waste it by being melancholy. She smiled when she saw Shippou kick his leg out a few times while he dreamt, and then closed her eyes to sleep.

* * *

After the group said their good-byes to Kaede they headed out for the small village that housed the miko Megumi. The trek was not completely uneventful; half way through their journey the came across a village that was in need of an exorcism, so they were able to have a warm bed and a good meal for the night. 

The group had never been this far north east before so the country side was all new to them. It was a breath-taking sight to say the least. Gone were the scattered villages that were advantageously placed throughout most of Japan and in their places was nothing but beautiful, untouched countryside that was home to some of the most magnificent looking trees and flowers the group had ever laid eyes on. Beautiful willow trees met the eyes of the group as they made their way through the valley. Every now and then they would come across a strategically placed cherry blossom tree, as if the Kamis themselves had hand-placed them there. It was magnificent.

In the distance they could see a thin line of smoke rising in the air, signaling the village. Their strides were small, prolonging the inevitable arrival in the village where they would leave their friend behind. However, their efforts did not help as much as they had hoped, for they arrived all too soon in front of the shrine where the priestess of the village occupied.

The shrine had many steps leading up to the main structure which was rested atop a hill. The village itself was home to no more than twenty huts, each of which had one small window over-looking the valley and each of which had a mat covering the doorway. The small town was quaint and had two large fields for their harvesting and there was a small pond resting just before the tree line that surrounded the village. The place was very quiet with only a few people roaming the streets, talking and trading stories with one another. The people of the town stopped their conversations to observe the group that had just arrived.

They felt the eyes on them, it wasn't unnatural, they all got this a lot. There were not many groups that harbored a miko, monk, demon slayer, two demons, and a half-breed, so it had become second nature for them to earn critical stares. However, for some reason in this town, it seemed a bit spooky to have the eyes of all on them. Some of the women grabbed a hold of their children tightly, a pure look of terror written across their faces. The children themselves did not seem affected by the small group of travelers, occasionally one could be seen pointing and smiling at Inuyasha and his fuzzy ears. The adult men stepped in front of the woman and children with nervous gestures, but no one dared to make a move toward them to welcome them to the village.

No one in the village had seen travelers in their part of the country side since they had settled there. The people that came to live in this quaint village had wanted to be as far away from the wars and other political rampages as possible. This place had become a place of isolation, only close family and friends knew of this settlement, and they hardly ever traveled to visit them here. It was just not the place to be; it was too far away from…well, anything! For these reasons and more the people could not and would not take their eyes off of the travelers; it would not be in their best interest to trust them so immediately.

Taking in a collective breath of air, the group made their way up the shrine steps and came to face to a set of very large mahogany doors with massive gold rings for the knockers. Kagome gulped audibly and raised her hand to the rings and grabbed a hold of one. She knocked twice before the doors silently opened to allow them entry.


	10. Megumi

Whew! I have been busy! I have three stories out, two of which are incomplete, and one that is a one-shot, but I've had so many requests to keep going with it that I may do so.

I have so many people to thank for their reviews! Everyone know that I appreciate the kind words, you're what keeps me going!

* * *

The inside of the shrine was dark, save for a few candles that gave them visibility in the room. Like everything else with the shrine, the room itself was very big; there was more than enough room to accommodate the seventy-some residents of the village. There were pews and pillows lining the sides of the shrine making an aisle down the middle which led up to an altar where a statue of Buddha rested. 

An aged woman sat near the altar speaking with what looked to be one of the village residents. The elder priestess was nearing her late fifties and had long, waist-length brown hair that had dulled with her age. Her eyes were a dark coffee brown, although one could hardly tell because of all the squinting she did due to the fact that her eyesight was failing her. She had very proper posture regardless of her age and she was carried on rather large feet for being such a petite woman. While she was conversing with the villager she continuously sniffed unconsciously, a habit she had picked up when she was a young girl.

The group stood near the doorway so as to not interrupt and waited for her to finish so that they could speak with her. They did not have to wait long for their audience with the priestess and soon she was leading them to sit among the pillows. Kagome smiled at the woman and handed her the letter that Kaede had sent with her. The woman, Megumi, took the letter and began to read. Her eyes widened a bit and she looked over the letter at Kagome who was nervously picking her fingernails. _'This girl is the Shikon miko?'_ thought the elder priestess. Megumi sat the letter in her lap and sighed, _'sometimes I think Kaede holds me in too high of regards'_.

"Well," Megumi stated in a shrilly feminine voice, "you're the Skikon miko? sniff Fascinating."

"Er, um, yeah I guess you could say that," replied Kagome. "After reading the note do you think you would be willing to train me?"

"Hm. I believe that can be arranged. It should not be too hard sniff of a task, you are the Shikon miko sniff I mean, so how much training could you possibly need?"

"Heh heh, well you see, I haven't actually had _any_ training;" Kagome started nervously, "I kinda just do what feels right."

Megumi blinked once and then twice in surprise before she laughed heartily out loud. Her earsplitting cackles echoed off the shrine walls while the group sat stunned, all looking at each other with confusion clearly written all over their faces.

"Oi, what are you laughing at?" Inuyasha snapped. How dare this woman make fun of Kagome just because she hasn't had any formal training, what's the matter with this old hag?!

The rest of the group started to glare daggers at the audacious miko who continued to laugh at their long-time friend. Megumi was still holding her stomach with laughter, but when the woman finally registered that none of her visitors were laughing along with her, her amusement quickly died.

"Please," Megumi began, eyes growing wide. "Tell me you sniff have had _some_ form of training! Surely you don't expect sniff me to start from scratch!?"

Kagome wrung her hands apprehensively in her lap. She gave a sheepish smile when she caught Megumi's incredulous look.

"Well, that's what we were sort of hoping for. Granted, I haven't had any training, but I'm pretty good with my bow and arrows," stated Kagome.

Mumbling to herself, Megumi was trying to figure out just what exactly to do with the little information that she received. _'_Pretty_ good with her bow and arrows?! Oh dear, this is going to take a while.' _She looked over at the young miko who was giving her, her best puppy dog eyes she could muster. _'Well, at least I won't be bored for the next few months.'_

"How can I say 'no' to the Shikon miko? I would be sniff doing the world a great injustice if I were to decline. However, I warn you, it sniff will take a lot of hard work and concentration for you to hone these sniff powers of yours. I would say that you will have to be here for at least a year," Megumi confirmed.

"A year?! Are you fuckin' crazy?!" screamed Inuyasha.

Miroku's staff came down hard on Inuyasha's head for his outburst. "Inuyasha, calm yourself and please refrain from using profanity in a holy place. A year is not a very long time for this type of training; it takes some people a life time to just tap into their power to reach the level lady Kagome is at now," Miroku informed the group.

"No, no, I have to agree with Inuyasha on this one," Kagome said. "We just don't have that kind of time. Naraku is sure to be gaining in strength as we speak, no one knows when or where he is bound to strike, a year is just too long."

Inuyasha looked positively smug after Kagome's agreement and he puffed out his chest a little. At least someone finally recognizes that he knows what he's talking about; only took three years, damn.

"Is there any way to speed up the training?" asked Shippou.

"Well, that sniff all depends on the young miko here," Megumi stated as she motioned towards Kagome. "The amount of time training sniff rests on her shoulders; I am merely giving an approximation of the sniff time needed for this type of instruction. As the young monk sniff here said, a year really is not that long."

"Feh! With her being the klutz she is, we'll be waiting forever! Screw the year, we'll just give Naraku the damn shards," Inuyasha spat.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha and pursed her lips. Ooo, he was going to get the sitting of a lifetime once they left the shrine. Inuyasha brought his nose down from the sky to look over at the fuming young miko. He gulped and flattened his ears to his head as he saw his crater-filled future in her flaming eyes at his less than amusing comment. So much for his self-righteous demeanor, now he's really in the dog house (no pun intended of course).

"Inuyasha, please keep your remarks to yourself; they're not helping," Sango said pointedly to the hanyou. She turned her gaze the young priestess and continued, "Kagome, it's up to you, what do you want to do?"

Said young miko was worrying her bottom lip as she contemplated over the decision. On the one hand, getting training would greatly benefit her group and their main goal in defeating Naraku. On the other hand, if the training took too long, he could very well come into more power and have a distinct advantage over them. However, they really do not know where Naraku is currently hiding, so it would not hurt for her to stay and get at least some form of training in; and if they happened to hear anything of great importance, they know where she is.

'_Okay,' _she thought to herself_, 'time to do something productive for once.'_

"I'm going to stay here and train," Kagome determined. "If you guys need me, you know where to find me and I will drop everything and come help."

The group nodded their acknowledgement and turned their heads expectantly to Inuyasha who had remained quite silent since his last remark. Feeling eyes upon him, Inuyasha raised his head and growled lightly at them all.

"What the hell are you looking at?" he snarled. "She's made her decision, so let's go." He stood up abruptly and began to stomp out of the shrine. Miroku shook his head and closed his eyes in frustration. _'He hides his true feelings behind the nasty attitude, I'm sure of it'_. Miroku stood, offering his hand to Sango which she gratefully accepted. The two of them bowed low in respect to the elder priestess and hugged their friend good-bye.

Shippou was the last to leave her, offering her small words of encouragement and apologies on behalf of Inuyasha's lack of manners. He gave her the biggest hug he could manage with his small arm span and Kagome then carried him outside of the shrine to her waiting friends. Shippou hopped onto Sango's shoulder and the group reluctantly left their friend to her new life in the small village. Before they were completely out of sight, Kagome crossed her arms in front of her chest and spoke loudly.

"Sit boy!"

Off in the distance, a quiet thud was heard along with a light string of curses. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand and giggled to herself; serves him right for that rude comment he made earlier. Besides, she wasn't going to see him for a while, might as well get one last 'sit' in. The elder priestess looked over to the girl with confusion written on her face; _'sit?'_

When the group was out of sight Megumi turned towards Kagome and clapped her hands to gain her attention. Kagome jumped at the sound, having been off in a daze and turned her eyes towards the elder woman. Megumi stood there staring at Kagome with a critical eye; this girl did not look like anything special, she couldn't say that she was not just a little disappointed; this girl was not what she expected. With all of the rumors that she had heard about the Shikon miko she was anticipating an older woman: a _trained _older woman to be the barer of the infamous jewel. How could this small slip of a girl be held responsible for a thing of such enormous power?

Kagome shifted her feet a little under the scrutinizing gaze. She could clearly see the dissatisfaction that the elder miko had for her; clearly she was not what she wanted. Kagome watched as the elder woman circled her form as if sizing up her prey, a little unnerving if you ask her. When a few moments had passed and Megumi still had not appeased her inspection, Kagome was starting to lose her nerve. She was squirming now and her annoyance was starting to become hard to suppress.

"Can I help you with something?" Kagome asked in the politest voice she could muster.

The older woman looked her in the eyes and grabbed a hold of Kagome's chin to turn her head from side to side. Megumi could not even fathom where to start with this girl. She had trained many priestesses in her time, but none of them had even come close to the power that radiated off of this girl. For the young woman in front of her to have had no proper training of any kind was unfathomable. She would have to have a talk with Kaede the next time she saw her. First thing's first: where to start her newest student. Well, her best bet would be to start with the bare minimum.

"Meditation."

"Excuse me?"

"We will start with meditation; sniff you cannot expect to get anywhere in your training if you cannot properly concentrate. Therefore, that is where sniff we will start."

"Oh, okay. Um, what else are we going to work on?"

Megumi snorted at the question. "What _aren't _we going to work on girl? You know nothing, as far sniff as I know you have no special talents other than amateur archery skills, and you sniff are much too dependent on others to protect you from what I gather. But, as of now the only thing sniff I want you to worry about it meditation."

"But-"

"Git moving girl, we have much to do sniff and less time to do it in!" Megumi smacked her on her wrist with two of her withered old fingers and then made to leave the shrine not bothering to check if Kagome was following her or not. First thing's first: get the young miko out of those poor excuses for clothes. Honestly, had she no shame? A slight breeze would give every person within twenty yards of her a view of what the Kamis had gifted her with.

Megumi headed towards a tired looking hut and slapped the bamboo mat away, giving both she and Kagome entrance into her home. The hut was modest. There was a small fire pit in the center of the room that had a large pot hanging over it. There was only one window, just like the rest of the huts in the village, and there was a slightly larger room to the left side; obviously sleeping quarters. Megumi pointed to a mat on the floor near the fire, indicating that Kagome was to seat herself. Kagome sat down and watched as the elder miko disappeared into her bedroom only to reappear a minute later with a bundle of clothes in her grasp.

The older woman unceremoniously chucked the clothing at Kagome, who noticed only when it hit her in her head, and walked once more into her room. Megumi then stayed in her room for so long that Kagome was beginning to think that she missed her queue to leave. Just as she made to stand Megumi appeared again with another bundle in her arms.

"Here are some sandals to wear sniff along with some socks. I expect you to wear this clothing sniff every day, I do not want to see that… _thing_," Megumi wagged her finger up and down at Kagome's skirt, "ever again. Once you have changed we sniff will burn them!" The elder priestess shoved the package into Kagome's arms and walked off again.

Megumi did not wait for a reply before she motioned for Kagome to once again follow her out of the hut. The elder miko walked briskly through the small village, stopping only once or twice to attend to one of the villager's needs. They soon came upon a hut, smaller than most of the others, just at the edge of the village. Megumi turned to face Kagome who had to almost jog to keep up with the old woman and motioned to the small abode.

"This will be your hut. Make yourself sniff comfortable, this will be your home for quite sniff some time. It is too late to start any of the training sniff tonight, but be sure that you are at the sniff shrine at sunrise: no sooner, no later. Do you have any questions?"

Kagome shook her head slightly in the negative and with no further words said, Megumi strode off once again into the village leaving behind a slightly bewildered Kagome.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

Kagome looked up the lane towards the village. There were some people still openly gawking at her, but most seemed to have calmed down after her group left. Now that her friends were gone, the stares all landed on her. She took a deep, nervous breath and turned into her hut and away from prying eyes.

The first thing that Kagome noticed about her new home was that there was certainly nothing special about her small hut. There was a small fire pit, much like the one in Megumi's hut, taking up the middle of the floor and to the side, propped up against the wall, were three different sized pots which she assumed to be for cooking and the making of medicines. There was no other room in the hut signaling a bedroom, but a sleeping mat with a few blankets lay folded near the back wall beneath a window. She sighed low and dropped her shoulders a little. She walked over to the back wall and drew the curtain back from the window and gasped when it revealed a beautiful mountain backdrop.

The sun was setting now behind the mountains and she found herself entranced with the many colors that had painted the sky. The trees in the distance were casting shadows over the small meadow in the valley and the songbirds had been replaced by the soothing sound of a cricket's melody. She would definitely never tire of that view.

Kagome let the curtain drop back in place after taking in one last glance at the scenery. She then set about making a fire to give a little warmth to the steadily cooling hut and so that she could fix herself some dinner. She dropped her yellow backpack on the floor and started to dig through it in hopes to find any left over ramen that Inuyasha hadn't eaten.

'_Inuyasha…I already miss you.'_ She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall and chastised herself. Now was not the time to start feeling regrets, it was a little too late for that; she had training to think about now. She relentlessly continued her search for the ever coveted cup of noodles and only when most of her belongings were strewn across the floor did she find what she was looking for.

"Ah-ha one last cup of ramen! Looks like tomorrow I'll have to find other food," she said as she prepared her water.

* * *

The demon lord was furious, although his outer appearance gave away nothing. He had been journeying east for almost a week on a tip that Naraku had been headed this way only to reach another dead end. His dead end this time came in the form of a couple of demons under the direction of the vile half-breed. They had been sent his this way, knowing that they would reek of Naraku's scent, to throw off his nose. 

_Flashback_

"_Ah, western lord, how kind of you join us," stated a rather large bear youkai haughtily. He and another demon, a tiger demon, were leaning against trees on opposite sides of the pathway that Sesshoumaru walked, effectively halting his progress._

"_You are in this Sesshoumaru's path. Move."_

"_Come now Lord Sesshoumaru. Is that any way to treat your own kind?"_

"_I care not who you are, only that you are hindering my procession. I will not ask again, either move or be removed permanently."_

_Sesshoumaru looked at the two smirking demons before him; something seemed off. He had been tracking Naraku's scent this way and it had abruptly stopped here. The demon lord allowed himself to take a once over of the two demons before him and then took a deep breath, analyzing the air about them. Just as he suspected: Naraku's vile stench._

"_I see," Sesshoumaru began as he lowered his head with his eyes closed, a light smirk tugging on his lips. "It was a diversion." _

_In the blink of an eye both the bear demon and tiger demon had been decapitated by the demon lord's whips; neither had time to protest._

_End Flashback_

Sesshoumaru turned elegantly on his heel and began his way north once again. Naraku was indeed a mendacious bastard and a coward to no end. Things such as he should not be graced with mortality let alone the immortality that he seeks.

Sesshoumaru had always prided himself in being one with honor and dignity. His cool façade that so many had deemed his trademark was put in place as a means of intimidation when he was younger and it had always stuck with him. It was not that Sesshoumaru did not feel emotions; in fact it was quite the opposite. He was curious by nature and he often found himself studying that which he did not understand to an almost unhealthy extent. He held respect for those who he deemed worthy, though he admitted there were not many who held this honor, and he gave praise when praises were due.

The demon lord was never quick to lose his temper; he had an extreme amount of patience. One could not live as long as he and not hold some semblance of tolerance for the dim-witted. Although his tolerance was astounding, his patience with Naraku had long since reached its end. This last stunt that he pulled only fueled the hatred that he felt for the creature.

For now the search would continue on. Since he had left Jaken to watch over Rin in his stronghold, he would not keep his pace slow; there would be no wasted time. Now all he needed was another tip to go off of; it shouldn't be too hard to come across one.

'_Perhaps, little brother, it is time I paid you a visit.'_

* * *

Kagome was less than amused. Her first night in the small village was nothing to write home about; in fact it had been so peaceful that she had almost forgotten where she was. Her dreams had also been pleasant, to which she is always grateful, and as unforgiving as the ground was, she slept quite comfortably on her mat, wrapped in her blanket that she had brought from home. 

Nope, her first night there was not the problem. The problem was her first morning of training and that witch of a woman that calls herself a priestess!

So, Kagome hadn't been ready _exactly_ at sunrise; okay so she was still sleeping. That did not give Megumi the right to dump a bucket of ice cold water on her! What happened to a gently nudge awake? Did nobody have manners in this era? With a screech that could wake the dead Kagome was being dragged up and out of her hut and towards the shrine.

"Aren't you going to even let me dry off?!" Kagome questioned with a glare.

"Discipline, girl, discipline! sniff How do you expect to learn anything if you sniff can't even get yourself out of bed in the morning?"

Kagome mumbled incoherently under her breath scathing remarks about how no one should have enough energy to be wicked in the morning.

"What was sniff that girl?" Megumi asked.

"Nothing."

"Hm, that's what I thought. Now sniff take these pails and go fetch water from the creek. When you return you will sniff receive your next task."

Kagome grabbed the buckets and grudgingly set out towards the small creek that happened to be right next to her hut, which happened to be on the other side of the village from the shrine. She huffed and forced her eyes to stay open as she made her way to the bank. _'How is fetching water preparing me for priestess training?'_ When she reached the small creek Kagome gathered the water in the buckets. Soon she was walking back to the shrine, full buckets in hand.

By this time the residents of the small village were now starting to move about with their daily tasks; farmers were making their way to the fields while the shop keepers were setting up their stands. Although the village was small, they seemed to have replicated the workings of a large community. Kagome admired the way they all seemed to work together in their routine; everyone had their own role to play. The town seemed so different than what she had witnessed yesterday; everyone had smiles on their faces and were happily conversing with each other as if the had not a care in the world.

'_I hate them all,'_ she sarcastically thought to herself. If only her life was that carefree. She was almost to the shrine now, having spent most of her trip there lost in her own musings.

"Oh well, that's life," she unconsciously said aloud. She looked up and realized that a couple of people had heard her and she blushed a bright red before she looked down at her feet, keeping her gaze away from them. She soon regretted that decision when she collided with a firm back and landed hard on the ground, dropping her buckets of water in the process.

"Just great, good going Kagome," she chastised herself as she looked over the newly formed puddles of mud.

"Please forgive me, let me help you with that," came a voice above her.

She chanced a look up and came face to face with one of the most handsome men she had ever met. He had short black hair and eyes so dark brown they were almost black. He had a tall stature, about six feet and broad shoulders. He wore the clothing of one of the local farmers, but it did not hide his lean figure. His skin was sun kissed tan and when he smiled two defined dimples graced his cheeks. He was an older man, maybe nine or ten years older than she, but it did not take away from his rustic good looks.

He reached out a strong hand to assist her in standing which she gratefully accepted. He smiled once more at her and she blushed yet again and smiled back. Dusting herself off, she gave him an apologetic look for her clumsiness.

"You're new here?" he asked. It actually sounded more like a statement and his voice was a light tenor that almost sang as it passed his lips.

"Yes, I'm here training with priestess Megumi. I'm really sorry about bumping into you like that; I'll have to pay better attention to where I'm going."

"Don't worry about it. Um, may I help you gather more water seeing as how it was my back that made you drop your buckets?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind the company, but I'm sure Megumi wouldn't like it too much if I were to let someone else do what was intended for me," Kagome said.

He nodded once and then excused himself from the man that he had been talking to. He offered Kagome his arm and she shyly interlinked her arm with his. The two of them walked down the road towards the creek in companionable silence, each trying to figure out the best way to break the ice. Well, that is until Kagome decided she wanted to know more about this man.

"Do you mind if I ask your name?" she questioned.

The man looked over at her a smiled before answering. "Certainly, my name is Takahiro. Might I ask yours?"

"Kagome," she replied before chewing her bottom lip. _'Wow, he smiles a lot…not that I mind.'_

They reached the water bank and he dropped to his knee to refill the pails. What Megumi didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"Well Kagome," Takahiro said as he gave her the newly refilled buckets, "it seems as though I'll be seeing you around. I live in the fourth hut from the shrine; feel free to seek me out if ever you need me."

Kagome nodded in affirmation and he placed a delicate kiss on the back of her hand. She felt her face grow hot signifying yet another blush and waved to Takahiro as he left to the field. _'Maybe it won't be so bad here,' _she thought to herself.

"Girl!" cried Megumi from a distance.

Kagome cringed, kami but if that woman didn't have a voice that sounded like a cat being drug through a keyhole backwards. She turned towards a fuming Megumi who was walking quickly towards her. Kagome meekly held out the pails in front of her with a slight smile in hopes of escaping the elder miko's wrath. However, when Megumi made it to Kagome, her only response was a sharp slap to her wrists with those two harmful crippled old fingers of hers.

"Who would have though that sniff getting water from the creek would take so long? What sniff have you been doing this entire time girl?!"

Kagome, who had set the buckets down after her wrists were abused, was rubbing them gingerly while doing her best to refrain from glaring at the older woman. She knew it had taken her a long time just fetch water from the stream, but honestly, it wasn't like she was being slow on purpose! _'Stay calm Kagome, this is all part of the training…this is all part of the training.'_

"I-" Kagome began but was cut off.

"Girl, I don't want sniff to hear any of your excuses! Pick up sniff the pails and let's get going!"

Kagome reached down to pick up the discarded buckets of water. She watched as Megumi sped walked away from her with the speed that would rival Inuyasha's sprint. Shaking her head to try and wake herself up she started after the elder priestess. That is how, yet again, Kagome found herself walking through the village; _'this is going to be a long few months.'_

* * *

Alright! Another chapter down! Thanks again for your reviews. I am open to suggestions as well, just let me know!

* * *


	11. Training: A Necessary Evil

Hello again everyone! Another chapter for your viewing pleasure! Thank you to all who reviewed so far, you are what keeps me writing! Don't worry, if it seems like Sesshoumaru and Kagome haven't been in touch, they'll be seeing eachother soon. Enjoy!

* * *

For what it was worth, Kagome was really trying; really, really trying. Megumi had been relentless for the past week about Kagome's breathing and posture when trying to get her into a lotus position for meditation. However, it is really hard to concentrate on a simple thing such as breathing when you have an old woman with one of her hands up against your stomach and her other hand pressing your back. To the onlooker it seemed to be the most awkward hug ever.

This was the routine for the last two weeks or so, it just did not start getting annoying until earlier this week. At first, Kagome did not think there was much to learning how to meditate; how hard could it be: close your eyes, keep your back straight, and breathe. Right? Wrong. Apparently, there are books upon books dedicated to the art of meditation, and Kagome, under the faithful teaching of Megumi, had to read those books. There are also many different types of meditation depending on what you are meditating for. So with all of these important things to take into consideration, is the way her back was angled really something that needed to be fixed now?

"Fix your posture girl!" Apparently, yes. "I'm not doing this (sniff) for my health ya know!" Megumi squealed with yet another slap on Kagome's wrists.

Kagome straightened out her back even more so than she had been. Okay, now it was uncomfortable and that was definitely not a good popping sound. One would think that after two weeks of back straightening that Kagome would have this down by now. Not to worry, soon enough she would be one with her mind and body.

Megumi continued to rant about how long it was taking for her to find the right sitting style. Her back ached from never having had the best posture seated or standing. Now she was practically being forced into year's worth of spinal adjustment; her chiropractor would be proud. Regardless of her pain, Kagome held her back straight in hopes of ending this torture.

"Is all of this really necessary? I mean, I know posture is important, but shouldn't I be 'cleansing my mind' or something?" Kagome asked.

"Nonsense girl! Posture is (sniff) probably the most important part of meditation! You (sniff) don't have posture, you don't have anything!" she directed. "Now then, since your posture has most (sniff) definitely improved we will move on. Keep your head slightly (sniff) bent, teeth not quite together, and tongue against the roof (sniff) of your mouth."

Kagome did as directed and also instinctively shut her eyes. The sunlight was peeking through the tree that she was currently sitting under. There was a slight breeze that danced across her face and she took in her surroundings mentally. In the background she could hear birds chirping and the faint sound of shovels and hoes clinking away at the ground. She could hear the village children laughing and playfully screaming while they played. The village seemed almost normal with her eyes closed; at least she didn't have to see people staring at her.

Kagome rolled her head forward and around to loosen up the tight muscles in her neck. It seemed as if that back popping technique loosened her up a bit as she found it less difficult to drop back into her perfect lotus position. She placed her hands, palm up, against her thighs and took deep breaths as Megumi instructed.

"Before you get too comfortable (sniff) I want you to focus on your breathing. By doing so (sniff) you will keep your mind off of other unimportant things. Now, I'll (sniff) be back here in a few moments time, I (sniff) have some villagers that need my attention. If I come back and find that (sniff) you have moved, you will be punished."

Kagome nodded which earned her one last smack on the wrist before Megumi left her to her self. As much as the older woman unnerved her, she had to admit, this was the most relaxed she had felt in a while. During her travels she had learned not to completely lose consciousness of her surroundings even when asleep, and so she kept this habit now. Kagome did not dare move, in fear of what Megumi's punishment just might be; she involuntarily shivered at the thought.

* * *

Sesshoumaru had found his way back towards the village just outside of 'Inuyasha's forest'. He was still a couple of days away from the village itself, but he had scented his brother and the monk, demon slayer, the young kit, and fire cat not far from him. Not surprisingly, he was not able to pick up on the scent of his brother's wench. _'Wasting no time I see…good.'_

The demon lord strategically let loose some of his scent and aura that he had been keeping so well masked; perhaps now his dear brother would be able to sense him near.

Not one to disappoint, as soon as he let loose his scent and aura Sesshoumaru could hear the sound of Inuyasha's blade as it left its sheath and he also heard his name being pass loathingly across Inuyasha's lips. Smirking to himself, he walked calmly into the camp and watched as the small band of warriors all readied themselves for what they thought was to be a battle.

"I dare say, little brother, this is indeed a gracious welcome," Sesshoumaru goaded.

"Shut the hell up! What do you want Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha snapped back.

"Well which is it? You either want me to quiet myself or answer your question; you cannot have it both ways."

Inuyasha nearly dropped his sword when he heard that come out of Sesshoumaru's mouth. Was he mocking him? Sesshoumaru doesn't have a sense of humor; what the hell was going on?!

Unable to retort in any way, Inuyasha opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to figure out what his next line would be.

"Really Inuyasha, you should close your mouth, you do look much like a fish," came the stoic reply.

Sango looked toward Miroku in hopes that he may have some kind of idea of what was going on. Since when did Sesshoumaru joke? Hoping to shed some light on things, Miroku worked up his courage and stepped forward.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, to what do we owe this unexpected visit?" Ah the monk, always willing to step in and help the less fortunate.

"I merely seek Naraku; you will tell me what information you have." That was _not_ a question.

"Keh! Like we'd tell you; go get your own information!" There, that'll show _him_.

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow at Inuyasha. "Always doing things the hard way half-breed." The demon lord reached for the hilt of Tokijin. However, before he was able to draw his sword Sango spoke up on behalf of their group.

"We haven't seen or heard of anything pertaining to Naraku."

"Sango?! What the hell?!"

"Quiet Inuyasha; there is no need to start unnecessary fights. Any enemy of our enemy is an ally,"came the wise words of the monk.

"Traitors," Inuyasha half mumbles, half growled.

"That is all I needed to know." Sesshoumaru said as he quickly took his leave of his half-brother's group.

He was actually hoping that they would have some information on Naraku's whereabouts. However, it seemed as if they were having no better luck than he. The one person that was able to sense the shards of the Shikon jewel was currently absent so the small group was left wandering Japan's country side with the chance that they may come across something useful.

Perhaps it was time to see how the small priestess was doing. After all, he still had plans for her against Naraku, might as well see how she was coming along.

* * *

For the past three weeks Kagome had been steadily coming into her own powers under the direction of Megumi. She was still meditating, at least fifteen minutes daily, and Megumi had started instructing her on the use of medicinal herbs since meditation was now a natural part of Kagome's day. Kagome was having a fairly easy time with learning the medicinal properties of herbs around the village. While she trained every now and then with Kaede, she had learned much in the ways of healing herbs, so the training now was going quicker with Megumi.

Kagome learned a few things within the first day of her practices with the herbs. One major thing was that she was allergic to mint. Every time she caught a small whiff of it she sneezed ever so slightly, and after Megumi found out about it, she made sure to include that in the long list of 'ways to torture or make fun of Kagome'. Kagome also learned that the flower peony could be used to make a nice soup that aided women with cramps and dizziness during their "cycles". That was definitely something she was going to remember.

Megumi and Kagome spent their mornings making rounds throughout the village, checking up on the residents and evaluating some of their illnesses. Afterwards, they would set out to the forest surrounding the village and Megumi would watch as Kagome went in search of, and collected, any herbs that would be needed for treatment. At first Megumi set Kagome out on her own to collect the plants, but after Kagome came back with a rather nasty rash due to some poison bush, she decided that she would accompany and quiz her on all of the herbs they came across.

In the late afternoon, the two priestesses spent their time grounding the herbs and making different types of concoctions for a variety of ailments that the village residents complained about. However, Megumi did give the young miko a slight reprieve in the day. Two hours before sunset were given to Kagome to do what she pleased, although usually Kagome spent that time practicing with her bow and arrows.

She was becoming steadily better with her weapon of choice, although it was still not anywhere near where she thought she should be. Everyday she traversed a small Kagome-made path to a tree behind her hut. She had chosen this particular tree because it was far enough away from the village to not bother anybody, but close enough where she could keep an eye and ear on the small community.

Many people were still weary of Kagome, even after being here for nearly a month. Although the small town seemed normal enough, it always gave her a weird vibe. She often found herself looking over her shoulder because she got the feeling that someone or something was always watching her. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but as quickly as the feeling would come, it would be gone again.

The men in the town would not give her much of a passing glance, but Kagome would catch the women whispering and pointing in her direction from time to time. Of course, the women were not exactly secretive about their whispers; if they saw her looking, they would just narrow their eyes in suspicion and continue with their activities.

Kagome huffed as she drew another arrow and notched it into her bow. Her tree was taking on the form of one particular woman that had today "accidentally" tripped her while she was carrying the ever abhorrent buckets of water.

Kagome snorted when she thought of that moment. " 'I'm sorry', she said, 'you should be more careful' she said. Please, she wouldn't know how to fake lie if it bit her in the-" Instead of finishing that sentence verbally, Kagome decided to take her shot at the tree.

"Ha!" she exclaimed when her arrow hit her makeshift bull's-eye.

"You should shoot (sniff) like that more often, girl," came the voice of Megumi behind her.

Without looking back, Kagome answered, "Yeah, well, I find that I shoot better when I'm upset, or if I'm feeling really strong feelings."

"Humph! That's a poor excuse! You (sniff) should learn to shoot well all the time. Your (sniff) enemies aren't going to wait for you to get into (sniff) one of your moods," Megumi criticized. "I must say though, that you (sniff) are improving…a bit."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kagome said dryly. She rolled her shoulders back a bit and grabbed for another arrow. Taking aim, she readies herself to shoot, until Megumi's shrill voice cuts through her concentration.

"You're not pulling back (sniff) far enough and I can clearly see from even way back here that your (sniff) aim is off."

Megumi took up a position behind Kagome and fixed her stance as well as help her draw her arm back further. This was the first time that Megumi had ever come out to help Kagome with her bow and arrows. At first the elder priestess left Kagome to her own devices because she felt that the young girl needed some time to herself. However, after she watched a couple of her night practices, she decided to step in and give her expertise on the activity.

Megumi let go of Kagome's hand and watched as she immediately lost her grip on it again. This earned Kagome a nice smack on the wrist. She narrowed her eyes at the older woman and then set back to try again. She knocked her arrow back tight and looked over to Megumi who in turn gave her a slight nod of the head, letting her know that she could fire. Kagome did so and watched as her arrow streaked to the tree and hit only mere centimeters from the bull's-eye. She mentally patted herself on the back for that one; she didn't even have to be mad this time for the arrow to hit the target.

Kagome looked back to see if Megumi approved, but when she did she saw that the elder miko was already half-way back to the village. Kagome shook her head and went back to her target practice. _'Might as well make use of the rest of the sunlight,'_ she thought to herself as she grabbed another arrow.

* * *

There were days when Kagome wouldn't practice during her two hours before sunset. On those days she didn't practice, Kagome spent her time with Takahiro. While she was on her way to practice after her long day of priestess training, Takahiro had caught up with her before she left the village and invited her to have dinner with him. At first she was reluctant, seeing as how no one had really taken the time to approach her, but seeing the pleading and sincere look in his eyes she relented.

She was glad she did.

After that initial night they spent many of their evening with each other, often engaging in conversation over dinner. Takahiro insisted that he be the one to prepare dinner, since he knew that Kagome worked extremely hard during the day. When they first started having dinner together, he took each and every moment he could to learn something about her; she was, after all, extremely fascinating.

On this night, two weeks since their initial dinner, she decided she was tired about talking about herself and turned the tables.

"So Takahiro, tell me about your family," Kagome nudged.

"Well, my father used to be a samurai for the southern army, but he was killed while protecting one of his men during battle. Rouge demons had descended on their camp, it was an ambush, and they all but slaughtered everyone there. The man my father saved and one other man were the only two alive after the attack."

"That's horrible! I'm so sorry. How old were you?"

"I was about twelve at the time. My mother was devastated, and my two younger sisters were still quite young, so I found myself having to grow up quite quickly," he continued. "Before my father had died, he had showed me many fighting techniques and some sword play. It helped a lot; it turned out my father had quite a bit of enemies. It has been years since I have fought or wielded a sword, although I could probably still hold my own."

Kagome smiled and nodded. She loved to learn about other people; everyone was always asking about her and she would rather not talk about herself.

"So do you have any family here?" Kagome asked.

He shook his head while answering, "No," he sighed heavy, "I do not. My mother never recovered from my father's death and shortly followed after him. My two sisters married years later and moved away, I haven't seen them in about five years."

"What about a wife or kids?" she questioned.

Takahiro took on a far away look and smirked. "I was once married. We met at the market going for the same bottle of sake," he laughed. "When I looked into her eyes, I thought that the world had stopped. She turned me down the first time I offered to court her, but I was relentless; I just wouldn't take no for an answer."

"About two months later I saw her yet again, this time at the shrine grounds. She was bent over a gravesite of who I later found out to be her younger brother. We started talking and one thing lead to another; she and I were wed a week later."

"That's such a romantic story. What happened, where is she now?"

"She died shortly before our third year together; there was an attack on our village and she fell victim. Bandits from the east ransacked the village and completely destroyed it. I came to this village shortly after her death."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, no my dear, it's quite alright," Takahiro said as he waved his hand in front of him. "It was many years ago, it took some time, but I've made my peace. She is in a better place."

"What was her name?"

"Her name was Atsuko."

"That is a very nice name; I bet she was very beautiful."

"She was indeed. The two of you would have probably gotten along very nicely; you remind me a lot of her."

Kagome smiled and gave him a small nod and they continued their meal. Takahiro was such an interesting character. She had never seen him get mad, he was always talking and laughing with any and every one, and he was the only one to actually take the time and get to know her while she had been here.

At first glance he seemed so shy and reserved, but upon starting a conversation with him he dispelled all of her first impressions of him. He knew how to joke and knew how to take a joke. He would always break an awkward silence with a anecdote or two, yet another reason Kagome liked to be around him; he was very easy going.

"What of you? Do you have other relatives?" he questioned.

She smiled. Her family was always something that she could happily discuss. "I do; I live with my mom and grandfather, and I have a younger brother named Souta."

"That's wonderful," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Do you see them often?"

"Not really anymore. I've been doing a lot of traveling, and it's been getting harder and harder to make my way back to them. My friends and I are on a quest of sorts, and it keeps us away for long periods of time," Kagome explained.

"Family is very important, Kagome," Takahiro said. "I do hope you do not take them for granted. Know that you will more than likely always have a place with them, no matter how tough the times get."

She smiled yet again, only this time it was a sad smile. Takahiro must be very lonely; to have lost your spouse so early in the relationship…Kagome could not even think about how much that would hurt. Of course, her mother had gone through something similar, but she still had grandpa, plus Souta and herself to keep her company.

She didn't voice her opinion; nothing like pouring salt on an open wound. Instead she chose to refill his bowl with the stew she had prepared and then showed him all that she had learned that day.

Having Takahiro around had made this endeavor bearable. Whenever she needed anything he was always there, and he was always willing to help her practice with her priestess training. Since she had started learning about different herbs and ways of mending and bandaging minor wounds, he had volunteered to be her practice patient. With him helping her, she was able to retain more of the knowledge that was bestowed upon her from Megumi. After all, practice makes perfect, ne?

She looked over at him and got a wicked gleam in her eyes. He knew that look; he was in for a long hour of fake symptoms and imaginary injuries. Takahiro laughed wholeheartedly and prepared himself for Kagome's medical treatment. Kagome rubbed her hands together conspiringly as she dug through the first aid kit that she and Megumi had put together. Her search in her first aid kit lasted for a while, making Takahiro a bit edgy. When she finally re-emerged she held in her hands a cup of some strange smelling balm and cloth wraps.

"Um, Kagome, what are you gonna do with that?" Takahiro asked as he eyed the bandages ominously.

"Just trust me Takahiro…trust me."

* * *

A couple of hours, and a practically mummified Takahiro, later Kagome took her leave of his hut and made her way to her own. It was already well into the night and the moon and stars were shining brightly in the night sky. There were only a couple of people wandering the streets, finishing up any last minute tasks, but everyone else in the village had already gone to bed. Everything was quiet and peaceful as she walked to her hut on the other side of the small town.

Kagome looked up into the sky at the moon shone bright above. It was glowing so bright that it threatened to block out the light of the stars beyond it. Kagome always loved the night. At night, the world seemed to be a completely different place. It became a place to hide imperfections and allowed people to think clearly. The warmth of the day was seeping away as the night's cool breeze enveloped the valley.

The seasons were starting to change and the nights were becoming cooler, giving everyone a much needed break from the heat. It was times like these that she missed her friends the most; how they would all gather around a warm fire and make small talk trying to forget about the most recent of trials. The warm fire giving everyone an unearthly yellow glow that made even an irate Inuyasha seem approachable.

She smiled at the memories and closed her eyes. She came to a stop just outside of her hut and let the small breeze hit her face. Being here, even just under a month, has helped her gain a feel of independence that she was greatly appreciating. Kagome was sure that once she returned to her family and friends she would no longer be looked upon as a burden; although that little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that her friends and family did not see her as such in the first place. No matter, she was no longer going to sit idly by and let everyone else do the work; she was going to contribute.

With one last glance up at the dazzling moon she turned and walked into her temporary home. Tonight however, instead of coming into an empty hut, she was met with a pair of frightening amber eyes that seemed to have a glow all of their own in the darkness of the room. Of course, being a normal, everyday girl in feudal Japan that came across demons and other scary creatures on a daily basis, she did only what any sane person would do in a situation such as this. She screamed.

* * *

Well, another chapter down! Who or what do you suppose was waiting for Kagome? Please review, I always love to hear your comments on the story. Thanks so much for reading!


	12. A Bittersweet Reunion

_I know that this chapter has been much awaited, I'm sorry for that. I've been going through a bit of writiers block, so I hope this chapter holds you over until I can getting my creative juices flowing again. Thank you so much for all of the reviews, I love reading them very much! Enjoy!_

* * *

After confronting his half-brother, Sesshoumaru had made a quick detour to the elder miko in the village of Inuyasha's Forest. Why ask his brother for the whereabouts and have to sit through "bastard this" and "son of a bitch that", Inuyasha could be so childish sometimes. So, after demanding the old priestess to tell him the location of Kagome, Sesshoumaru set out to asses her training.

When he arrived at the small village he was not surprised to see that there was an old withered priestess that was training Kagome; it just seemed right in a way. Nor was he surprised to see Kagome working so well with the herbs even when around people she hardly knew; that was her thing, she didn't care if she knew someone or not, if they were hurt she was bound to help them. Ridiculous. He was somewhat surprised to see her go off on her own to practice her archery; it was clear that that was not what the two priestesses had been focusing on, but yet Kagome took the initiative to better her skills on her own.

Nope, none of that surprised him. What he did not expect was for the young miko to start screaming her little head off in the middle of the night at a decibel that would shatter glass. At first he stood there in uncharacteristic shock. When he realized she was still screaming he was quick to appear behind her and clasp his hand over her mouth.

"Miko, you will stop making that noise this instant," he demanded.

Kagome's eyes widened a fraction when she realized who it was behind her. She ceased her screaming and semi-relaxed as he took his hand away from her mouth and moved back around in front of her. He took a moment to look her over, noting the miko garb that she was now sporting; it was clothing very befitting of her station and a far cry from the exiguous skirt that she had worn. Her hands looked like they had been worked harder than they've ever had, with small calluses developing on her fingertips and knuckles, and she was dirtier than he had ever seen her.

Sesshoumaru delicately took a small sniff of the air; yep, she was definitely in need of a good wash. Kagome caught the none-to-subtle sniff that he took and narrowed her eyes at him.

"You are in need of a bath, miko. I dare say you smell as if you've never been near the water," he commented.

"Ya know, you wouldn't smell so great either if you had to run around chasing an old priestess all day long," she voiced back with a huff. Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away from him, missing the slight smirk that passed quickly over his features.

She turned quickly back around and tapped her foot on the floor, there had to be a reason that he was here, so why didn't he just get to the point? Kagome would never admit it, but she was nervous around the western lord. He could swipe his claws at her, effectively ending her life without a second thought; how could one _not_ be nervous around him?

And why was he looking at her like that?

Sesshoumaru had been silent for quite some time and she was growing a little agitated, it is a bit unnerving when someone is staring you down.

Sesshoumaru, on his part, was contemplating what exactly to do first; ask her about her training or throw her in the river. He was in a serious debate with himself until she started tapping her foot; that was the decision maker. He quickly made his way towards her with long strides and watched as her eyes widened in shock. He grabbed a hold of the collar on the back of her shirt and proceeded out of the small hut and into the night.

Kagome had no time to protest as she was being dragged behind the demon lord, having to all but run to keep up with him. He pulled her behind him as he made his way to the creek all the while listening to her beginning to rant about the indignity that she was being put through.

"Where are you taking me Sesshoumaru?! Let me go!" she half screamed half whispered being sensitive to those in the village who slept.

Sesshoumaru chose at that moment to gladly let her go, using a bit more force than necessary for good measure, and observed as she stumbled forward to fall and land on her hands and knees just before the water's edge. One gentle nudge with his foot on her rear later, and Kagome found herself diving head-first into the frigid water clothes and all.

Kagome emerged from the water and sputtered while spitting out water from her mouth. "W-what di-did y-y-you do th-that f-f-for?!"

"I believe I made myself clear enough earlier; your scent was insulting to this Sesshoumaru's nose."

"Did you have to push me in?! I would've gone willingly ya know!"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. It's not like his decision didn't get the job done, he was now in the company of a cleaner miko. A pissed off cleaner miko.

"What is your problem?! That water was freezing!" Kagome said as she made her way back up the bank. When she reached Sesshoumaru she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eyes. She gave her most intimidating glare that she could muster and starting jabbing a finger into his chest.

"And just who (poke) do you think (poke) you are (poke) coming here and dragging me to the water?!"

"Miko, refrain from abusing my person unless you care to lose an appendage."

Kagome stepped back at his threat and gulped before she bowed her head; okay maybe that wasn't the best of ideas…alright it was stupid.

"Sorry," she mumbled. She chanced a look back up and saw that he was not even listening to her. Instead he was already walking back to her hut.

"Hey! Wait up!" Kagome shouted as she jogged to catch up with him. What was with people and making her jog to keep with them?

The two walked back to her hut in silence, Kagome leaving behind a trail of water in her wake. When they reached the hut, Kagome made quick work of starting a fire so that they would have some light and warmth. She walked over to a shelf that she had built into the hut and grabbed the second of three sets of priestess garb.

(A/N: Yay! This is my 100th page of writing, a milestone for me and my first fanfic!)

"Um, Sesshoumaru, could you please turn around? I need to change and well…yeah," she managed.

Sesshoumaru nodded once and turned his back on her. He could here the rustle of fabric as she stripped out of her wet uniform. The light from the fire was casting a shadow upon the wall in front of him, giving him the view of Kagome's silhouette as she peeled off her clothing. From his vantage point he was able to see her delicate figure cast in shadows, watching as she lifted off her outer jacket.

The way the fire flickered gave the impression that she was dancing. He may have been a demon, but he was in all rights completely male and the show that he was being gifted with was probably the most erotic thing that he had ever seen. The shadows left much to be desired and even he, Sesshoumaru, had to close his eyes, lest he get away from himself.

Unaware of the inner turmoil of the demon lord before her, Kagome finished changing and spread her wet clothes in front of the fire. She smiled to herself when she noticed that he had given her the privacy that she needed and was still waiting for her to let him know all was well. She looked over the form of the demon in front of her, taking into account how he made her small hut seem even smaller due to his large stature.

He was dominance in a nut shell. He commanded respect wherever he went and left most in awe after being in his presence. Kagome was no different. She appreciated the sight that he made; the way his eyes bore into one's soul, the way his hair never seemed out of place, his smooth features that had nary a blemish on them. The magenta stripes that licked his cheeks were riveting and the indigo moon on his forehead almost begged to be traced. Kami what a sight he made.

"Sesshoumaru," she said when she finally came back to reality, "it's okay to turn back around now."

He did so and she politely motioned for him to take a seat. He even sat down regally; a quick shift of clothing and he was cross legged and sitting with his back straight, his arms casually draped over his thighs.

"Um, would you like some tea?" Kagome asked.

"Alright," he answered with a slight nod.

Kagome set off to work to make the tea. She gathered one of the smaller pots from the wall and filled it with water, putting in along with it some chamomile and a bit of honey for sweetening.

"You are training with herbs," Sesshoumaru stated more than asked.

Kagome nodded her head, not at all surprised that he knew the goings on of her instruction. "Yes, we have been working with them for about one and a half weeks. She's also been teaching how to care for minor injuries," she stated proudly.

"What of weapons training?" Sesshoumaru asked. Hadn't the old priestess realized that Kagome was set up to face some trying times in the near future?

"Well, we haven't quite got to that yet. But," she quickly said before he could interrupt, "I have been going out on my own for a couple of hours a day to practice with my bow and arrows. I think I am getting better, I just need more practice."

"Hn. I was privy to your practice today miko. Suffice to say I would not trust you by my side during battle quite yet."

It hurt. He knew it hurt her to hear those words, but those words were what was going to keep her training hard to better herself. Keep her on the path of hard work and persistence. However, Sesshoumaru did not want to see her dwelling over his words, though that's what he was expecting, he just wanted her to take her training here seriously. Imagine his surprise when she took his words in stride.

"Yeah, well who asked you," she said. "Jerk."

In spite of himself, Sesshoumaru smirked; this priestess was highly amusing.

"Is that all?" the demon lord asked.

"Huh? Oh right, well, umm…" Kagome trailed off while she tapped her chin with her finger. "Hmm, oh yeah! When I first arrived here she taught me how to meditate, so I've been dedicating time to do so every day."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head; at least her training hadn't been a complete waste here. The older priestess was a bit unorthodox, but genuinely seemed interested in instructing her pupil. He had been a little concerned when she didn't mention meditation from the beginning; it was going to be quite useful when trying to call her priestess powers to her. Now: to solve the problem with her combat training.

"You will find someone to instruct you in combat," he determined.

Kagome's eyebrows knitted in concentration. It's not like the village was overrun with old soldiers who would drop everything to come help her. Maybe…

"Do you think you could do it?" she asked.

"Surely you jest miko," Sesshoumaru said not missing a beat. "I, Sesshoumaru, teach a mere human how to fight? Ridiculous."

"Geeze, sorry I asked. Forgive me _"Lord" _Sesshoumaru," Kagome stated with an over exaggerated bow.

Said demon lord raised one of his eyebrows at this; the miko was sure being bold tonight.

"Quit with that eyebrow thing, you do it so much it might stick that way," she said.

At this, his eyebrow rose even further, disappearing now under his bangs. Kagome rolled her eyes and went to find two cups for the tea. She poured him some and then some for herself before sitting on the mat opposite him.

"You know you're not what I expected Lord Sesshoumaru," Kagome said in efforts to end the uncomfortable quiet.

An even heavier silence was met immediately after that statement before he gently set his cup down. "Alright miko, you have my attention," he replied.

"It's just that, the way Inuyasha talks about you all the time, well, it led me to believe that you have no personality."

He scowled at this.

Granted, he knew the half-breed didn't like him, the feeling was quite mutual. Still, Sesshoumaru was never one to speak ill against another when they were not present to defend themselves; perhaps it was time for a lesson in moral conduct.

"And you see this as farce?" he asked slightly curious.

"Well, yeah, sort of. I mean, just in the short time that we actually have been able to speak with one another, well…you clearly feel emotions."

"Hn," came his half-assed answer.

"Figures," she replied back.

He once again took up his cup and placed his lips to the rim. _'His lips look soft. Whoa! Okay, runaway thought, let's back it up there Kagome.' _

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Kagome's eyes widen and then she shook her head. What was this girl thinking? This girl had an odd way of making his emotions decide to have free reign over his face; something that he was definitely not used to.

Kagome took a deep breath; she seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Damn hormones. Why did he have to look the way he did? No one was that perfect, so she thought. Then he shows up in all his demon glory and introduces himself as Inuyasha's half-brother.

And he was looking at her.

And she was worrying her bottom lip when she felt his stare. When she looked up she gave a weak smile and coughed nervously in her hand.

_Well…this is awkward._

"So Lord Sesshoumaru," she said with no hint of discomfort, "what brings you here anyway?"

"It is imperative that your training follow a strict schedule. You are essentially the key to defeating the vile half-breed, so it is best that you are well prepared."

_Oh is that all?_ She wanted to say. "Alright then, will you be speaking with Megumi?"

There goes that eyebrow.

"Er, um the older priestess that is training me," she clarified.

"There is no need for me to speak with her," Sesshoumaru said.

"Oh. Why not?"

"Because you will be."

_Right…that explains everything. _"Huh?"

"In the morning you will speak with your teacher and explain to her that you must make better use of your sessions," he started, "I want you to focus more on combat and meditation than healing and herbs."

"Have you ever had to deal with a senile priestess before? It's not as easy as you think. She's constantly sniffing, _'I'm going to have to do something about that by-the-way,'_ she walks faster than I can run and…and…she hits me on the wrists." Kagome rolled her eyes at her own words, _'Gods that was pathetic sounding even to me.'_

The look on his face clearly said that he unknowingly agreed with her thoughts.

"Fine, I'll talk to her in the morning," Kagome relented.

"Hn."

"Look Sesshoumaru, it's been a long day and I need sleep. Um, you're more than welcome to stay, I have an extra blanket."

He nodded, "I will make use of your hospitality. However, your blanket is unnecessary."

"Oh. Okay then. Well, um, good night Sesshoumaru."

"Good night priestess."

Kagome crawled into her bed roll and turned away from the demon lord. For a while she could still feel his eyes on her, but eventually her body grew too tired to care. There was something about Sesshoumaru that gave her a sense of peace; this mighty demon lord who been so named the "killing perfection" was strangely comforting to her. With these thoughts Kagome was lulled into a blissful sleep; a sleep that hadn't been that way since she arrived at the village.

Sesshoumaru kept a silent vigil throughout the night, every now and then throwing another branch into the small fire to keep the warmth in the hut. It amazed him at how trusting the girl was with him, she didn't even give it a second thought before she had turned her back on him to sleep.

She showed potential, Kagome had not even been in training for a full month and already Sesshoumaru could feel the difference in her aura. Clearly the girl, like he suspected, was an untapped source of power; one that will come in handy while facing off with Naraku. There was no doubt in his mind anymore that the miko, Kagome, would be the one to dispatch Naraku from this plane of existence.

Sesshoumaru heaved a great sigh (the girl was asleep so why not) while he thought of his recent endeavors. Naraku clearly was exceptional at hiding. He had been up and down Japan looking for him and he somehow managed to evade his every move. Every time he caught sight of one of Naraku's insects he was chasing after it, only for it to lead him to yet another dead end. Maddening. It was completely maddening that that deceitful bastard could seemingly drop of the face of the earth.

For the first time in a long time, Sesshoumaru felt his age. Was he losing his touch? He snorted at this; no, he wasn't losing his touch, there were just so many variables working against him that he would have to be in more than one place at the same time to work through them all. He may be a great demon lord, but he definitely was not a god.

He released a small breath and sagged back against the wall; he felt old. Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to drift closed. He was never one to sleep in the presence of anyone other than his usual company, but the young priestess, he knew, what not a threat to him. He opened his eyes slightly to look at the sleeping form across the room. Even in sleep she radiated power, it washed over him like hundreds of massaging fingers. His eyes fell shut once again and soon the demon lord was asleep.

The next morning Sesshoumaru woke before sunrise. He straightened up and was a little surprised when a bit of fabric fell from his body. He looked down to see a worn red blanket now pooled at his legs. When had she given him a blanket? He did not even hear her or feel it when she did. That was new. Never had he slept so soundly before; surely if there had been a threat he would have felt it perhaps that is why she did not disturb him.

Kagome stirred in her sleep. She new that the morning was quickly approaching and after that initial day in this village when Megumi had thrown ice water on her, she always made sure to be up on time. She did not chance to repeat that event.

With a groan Kagome picked herself up slowly from her mat. She did a great impression of the cobra pose that any yoga instructor would be proud of, before fully rising to her feet.

She heard a shift of cloth and quickly looked in Sesshoumaru's direction. _'He did stay heere last night didn't he?'_

"Good morning Lord Sesshoumaru," she greeted.

"Hn."

"Stuck up," she said quietly to herself. What was his problem anyway? "Well, I should probably get going; those water buckets don't fill themselves, eheh."

"I will be coming periodically to see your progress, so do try and have better reports on my arrival," Sesshoumaru said suddenly.

"Periodically? As in more than once?" Kagome questioned.

"Indeed…" he said with yet another raised eyebrow.

Kagome shut her eyes in frustration, was it her life's goal to make herself look like an idiot in front of him? Deciding to save herself from any further embarrassment, she simply nodded her head in understanding and started to walk out of her hut.

"Miko, do not forget to find someone to train you. I care not who they are as long as they are qualified in combat. I shall return in two weeks. Oh and miko…" he started just as she was about to leave the hut.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Do try and bathe before I return again."

Kagome narrowed her eyes and huffed as she left her small home, stomping her way towards the shrine mumbling all the way about arrogant, spiteful demons who were too clean for their own good, and honestly how does he keep his whites so bright anyway?!

Sesshoumaru smirked, something he found he did a lot of at the expense of the young priestess, and began his trek in search of any trace that could potentially lead him to Naraku. The miko still had a ways to go with her training, but it would be best in Naraku didn't have the chance to build his strength again. Kagome, the young priestess, she had some difficult times ahead of her; he could only hope she was up to the challenge.

* * *

She was doing it again. And like the other times, it annoyed her and made her want to throw something. What was her problem anyway? Surely she didn't know about the antihistamines that she slipped into her morning tea. Really, those sniffles were a bit distracting.

Kagome opened her eyes from her meditation and looked out from the corner of her eye. Megumi had been sending her glares on and off all day long and it was starting to wear on her nerves. She closed her eyes again and tried to center herself for the fifth time in the past ten minutes.

For a moment, Kagome thought that she would finally be able to finish her meditations this time, but the inevitable burn of eyes she felt on her made her sigh and sag her shoulders in defeat. This has gone on for long enough.

"What?" Kagome snapped.

Megumi's lips were pursed and her eyes were narrowed, drilling into Kagome as if trying to verify something only she could see. She started a little when Kagome spoke.

"Humph!" Megumi said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

This peaked Kagome's interest. "What are you so testy about?"

Megumi refused to answer, but instead chose to keep her arms crossed and turned away from Kagome with her nose in the air.

Kagome sighed again. "Okay Megumi, are you going to tell me what this is all about, or am I going to have to guess?"

"You!" Megumi shouted as she pointed an accusing finger towards Kagome. "You have betrayed all that is sacred to this village!"

Okay, now Kagome was confused.

"Um, alright. How exactly did I manage to do that?" she asked.

"Do you think that no one would see you; that you could just get away with harboring a demon in this village?!"

_Ah, so that's what this was all about._

"What's the big deal? It's not like he hurt anyone."

This time it was Megumi who sighed. "Dear girl, you are blind. Do you not realize that people come to this village to get away from instances like this?"

"Instances like what?"

"There are many people in this village who harbor deep prejudices against demons, many because demons had had a hand in killing a loved one of theirs. Having a demon here, in your hut no less, will only cause rumors to fly and people to become uneasy. They won't take too kindly to you either, befriending demons."

"That's ridiculous! Why would people start rumors like that; doesn't anybody have any decency in this era?!" Kagome shouted. "So what if there was a demon in my hut, it's not like we did anything!"

Megumi blinked a couple of times. "Girl," she said, "I'm not the one you should be having to explain yourself to-"

"I shouldn't have to explain myself to anyone!" Kagome interrupted. "What I do is my business!"

The elder priestess gave a frustrated sigh, this was getting nowhere. "As long as you stay in this village training, you are not to have demons here. I have agreed to train you to the best of my capabilities, but I cannot do that when I am worrying about the occupants of the village."

"Listen Megumi, I appreciate everything that you have done for me, and I can understand your reservations about my relationships with my demon friends, but you can't just expect me to turn away my friends just because it may make some close-minded people uncomfortable. How do you ever expect them to cope with the fears if they are not exposed to them? All demons cannot be placed in the same category as the ones who killed the loved ones of the people here. I'm sorry, but if you can't understand that, then I may have to seek my training elsewhere."

Megumi nodded her head in understanding, she knew this girl was stubborn, but she didn't know to what extent. It was so uncommon for people to have such little prejudice for demons nowadays, but this girl before her was different. Megumi did not want to lose such a promising young student.

"I see girl. I will do my best to placate the people of the village, but you will have to do your best to keep their ill will at bay; I am only one person. If you do happen to keep a demon here, just…try to be more discrete about it, I can't take responsibility for their actions if the villagers were to find him here again."

Kagome was furious with the situation, but Megumi had been helping her a lot since she had been here, so she should offer some type of compromise.

"Don't worry Megumi, I will do whatever it takes to help them; this world doesn't need any more biases, there's enough as is. And, I'll try to be a bit more discrete with my guest, though I can't say I'm happy about that; I'm not ashamed of my friends."

Megumi gave the young priestess a sad smile, it was understandable why the girl was upset, but the village was set up for people to get away from their troubles. Perhaps too many people were running from them instead of trying to solve them.

The two priestesses looked at each other in silent agreement. It was going to be a lot of work to help the villagers overcome their fears, but Kagome was sure she could handle it.

But, for now, it was time to get in her meditation for the day; Sesshoumaru had made it very clear that she was to focus on this and also find someone to train her in combat.

That should be easy enough.

* * *

_Well there it was, don't worry, it won't be so long between visits for them again, I don't think Sesshoumaru wants to stay away any more. Please send any comments, questions, or concerns my way. Thank you for reading!_


	13. The Return of Atoshi

**_Hello again; sorry it's been so long between updates, I've been busy with a couple of my other stories and my brain took a hiatus from this one for a bit. _**

**_Expect Sesshoumaru and Kagome to see each other again in the next chapter...Enjoy!_**

* * *

After a run-in with a panther demon, the small group of traveling warriors found a nice sunny spot to rest. Kagome had been training in the village for about a month now and they had been trying desperately to keep themselves busy while attempting to find Naraku.

Shippou took the time of rest to do just that…rest. Not a day went by when he did not ask to go and see Kagome, but his request was always denied, usually by Inuyasha who would tell him that she needed to be left alone in order to concentrate. Today however, Inuyasha had told him that they were going to finally see her because he needed to give her mother an update on her well-being.

So with a smile on his face, Shippou gladly took this time to bask in the sunlight, knowing soon that he would get to see Kagome again. Since she had left them to train he had been rather lonely. Sure, Inuyasha was fun to pick on, but without Kagome to subdue the hanyou, Shippou received some rather nasty blows to the head. Needless to say, his torturing of Inuyasha had decreased dramatically.

Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha set to work making lunch, after their little battle with the demon they felt they deserved a nice meal; it was not as good as ramen, but hey, it would work. Sango had just put the water on when the heard a familiar voice call to them from far away.

Inuyasha's ears twitched and he lifted his head to see if he had just imagined it. He looked on in confusion as the figure of Kagome jogged toward them while waving her hand in the air. The rest of the group joined in his confusion as the young miko they were headed to see made her way towards them, her ever loving smile plastered on her face. The group smiled and waved back each one of them with many questions floating through their head.

* * *

After Naraku had fled the battle that he was so sure was going to be successful, he took refuge among the mountains in the higher eastern territory. He had become a master at cloaking his presence to those around him ever since his time on Mount Hakurei, and had used his skills yet again to aid him this time around as well.

He had been disappointed to learn of his creation, Micharata's, demise though he couldn't say that he was surprised. He was sure when Inuyasha and his friends had learnt of his escape they had been less than pleased and were going to out their aggressions on his incarnations. Kagura had managed to at least save his other 'child' Atoshi, although even he had proved to be less than beneficial. While Naraku was in hiding he planned on upgrading his new incarnation, maybe then the persons seeking him out would have a big enough distraction to stop looking for him for a while.

One thing that had been on Naraku's mind lately however, was the absence of the miko, Kagome, as of late. He knew she often left for certain lengths of time, but this time she had been gone for quite a while. Naraku knew she was his biggest threat, and not having the knowledge of where she was made him uneasy. What were they planning?

With these thoughts running through his head, he devised a way to gain some information. Atoshi would work best in this case, with some minor adjustments of course. Atoshi already had the gift of shape-shifting, perhaps if he added voice mimicking into that equation he could give Inuyasha a run for his money.

Naraku laughed at his own brilliance. If he could find the young miko and take her out of the equation, the threat on his life would be greatly diminished.

"Kagura," Naraku called out.

Kagura, who had been leaning against a far wall within the same room, stood to her full height and walked a few steps towards him. She did not answer, but waited for him to continue.

"Gather Atoshi and bring him to me. Tell him I have a new task for him to undertake."

Kagura nodded and left the room, but did not miss the chilling smile that swept across Naraku's face.

* * *

After Kagome's talk with Megumi, which was significantly easier to get through without all her sniffing, she set off to find the one person who was sure to be able to help her with her training.

She found Takahiro hard at work in one of the fields near the village. The sweat gleamed off his body, seemingly making him shine, and she found it hard to pull her eyes away. When she finally did, she noticed that she was not the only one enjoying the, ahem, scenery. A few of the younger village women were smiling and giggling to themselves as Takahiro worked his way through the soil; seems he had his own little fan club.

Kagome smiled to herself and casually made her way towards him; she was on a mission and just because his muscles rippled with every single move he made, did not mean that she was going to get distracted. Nope, not distracted at all. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Kagome turned back around and started to walk away from the fields, bus she stopped short when she heard him call for her.

"Hey Kagome! What are you doing out here?" Takahiro asked as he brought her in for a hug.

She blushed prettily and hugged him back, not missing the sour looks on the village women's faces as she did so.

"Umm, well, I actually came here to ask you for a huge favor," Kagome began.

"Kagome, you know you can ask me for anything. I'll do my best to help you in any way I can," Takahiro assured her as he wiped a bit of sweat off his brow.

Kagome's mouth opened but no sound came out. What was with her? She felt like a little girl with a crush! This was definitely not something she needed right now. Kagome opened and closed her mouth a couple more time to try and form the words she so desperately needed to say. When Takahiro started chuckling at her that effectively brought her out of her stupor.

"Sorry," Kagome said embarrassedly, "It's just that, I was wondering if you could teach me how to fight. You're the only person I really know in this village; I can't think of anyone I would trust more here to instruct me in combat. You also said that your dad taught you a few things, so I was just…" she trailed off.

Takahiro paled slightly at the thought of once again fighting; he thought he had left all of that behind. He was never one to enjoy the art of war; he had not wanted the lessons when his father gave them to him all those years ago. His father, until his passing, had drilled the lessons into Takahiro's head until he could perform each maneuver with practiced ease.

However, as much as he would have like to decline to teach Kagome, when he looked at her beautiful hopeful face that reminded him so much of his late wife's, he could not bring himself to say no. So, against his better judgment, he nodded.

"Sh-sure Kag-Kagome," he began and then cleared his throat to make it stronger. "It would be my pleasure. Why don't you meet me tomorrow afternoon near the shrine and we can start then."

Kagome had been sure he was going to deny her the lessons. When she had asked, she saw how deathly pale he had become; she almost regretted asking in the first place. So when he had relented and said yes, she couldn't hide her joy. Kagome graced him with a huge smile and flung herself in his arms. He was surprised, but caught her and returned the hug before she gently pushed him to arms length, all the while still grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you so much Takahiro! He'll be so pleased to know I found someone! I promise you won't regret it! " she exclaimed then kissed him lightly on the cheek. She smiled again and rushed happily back to her lessons with Megumi.

"I already do regret it," Takahiro sighed as he watched her leave.

It did not seem right to Takahiro that someone like Kagome was being forced to learn combat to protect herself. He almost felt like he would be defiling her innocent nature with teaching her how to fight. He only hoped that he could help her with what she needed; otherwise he would never forgive himself if she were to be hurt. Whenever he looked at Kagome he could see his beloved Atsuko

He turned to continue with his work, but stopped in his tracks as he thought about what Kagome had said before she left. _'Who's "he"?'_

* * *

"Kagome, just what the hell do you think you're doing here?! We were on our way to see you," Inuyasha said.

He watched as Kagome made her way to them, a smile still plastered on her face as she spoke.

"Oh well, you know, I just thought I'd come see you first," Kagome replied. "I hope that was okay?"

The group looked at one another and shrugged.

"Of course Kagome, you know we're always happy to see you," spoke Sango as she leaned against her hiraikotsu.

Miroku nodded in agreement and then continued on making lunch; no sense in going hungry now was there?

Shippou was overjoyed when he saw Kagome, now he did not have to wait a couple more days until they made it to the small village to visit her. Instead, she came to them!

Shippou sprinted towards her and excitedly threw himself into her arms. Kagome was so surprised at the movement that she almost dropped him. If he noticed, he did not say anything as he squeezed her in a tight hug before hopping up and settling on her shoulder. He felt her stiffen up a little which made Shippou look over to her and furrow his brows a little. Was she feeling okay?

"Are you alright Kagome?" asked a worried Shippou.

"Sure I am. Why wouldn't I be?" came her reply.

Shippou shrugged. "I don't know, you just seem different is all."

"Well I have been away for a while, maybe that's why," she tried to explain.

Shippou nodded his head in acceptance; it was a logical explanation after all. He continued to perch on her shoulder all the while looking at her from the corner of his eye. When he saw that she had finally looked back at him he smiled wide. She in turn gave a slight smile back; it wasn't her usual ear-splitting smile, but one nonetheless. Since Shippou loved her smiles who was he to complain? He had his Kagome back for a while and that was all that mattered.

Sango had been watching the small exchange from her position now next to the small cooking fire. Their friend seemed a little odd, but maybe it was just because of the training she was going through; she remembered when her father was training her and she had been exhausted.

"So how's your training going? Are you getting any better?" Sango politely asked, still a little surprised at their friend's abrupt visit.

"Oh…yeah, I am a lot better," she said, not giving any details.

"How's Megumi treating you? That village was a bit…different, are you fitting in okay?" Miroku asked.

"Of course, everything's great! Megumi, yeah, is treating me just fine," Kagome replied.

Something was off; all of them could feel it. They looked at each other from the corners of their eyes as they sent a silent message between themselves. Kagome was acting really strange and was being very vague with her details. Did something happen to her while she was away? What wasn't she telling them? Kagome was always so talkative and did not hesitate to tell them anything. Surely just one month of training had not changed her so much.

Inuyasha was between feeling glad that Kagome was here and confused at her behavior. He took a tentative sniff to check the scent of her. Nothing seemed off about it, although it seemed a little less prominent than it usually did. He shrugged and turned towards Sango to see if she was hurrying with lunch.

Miroku, on the other hand, still had his doubts that nothing was wrong. He steadily scrutinized Kagome who shifted nervously under his gaze. Miroku continued to stare hard at the person before him; he turned his head to see where Inuyasha and Sango where and when he looked over at Kagome again he caught a glimpse of red in her hair. He was a bit startled at that; Kagome never had red in her hair; if anything it had more of a bluish tint to it. Kagome saw that Miroku straightened his back in shock and then saw the small shifting of his feet as he looked at her. She turned her once blue eyes, now gray, towards him and Miroku's own eyes widened. This was not Kagome.

He immediately took a defensive stance at her and brought his staff up in front of him.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Miroku asked forcefully obtaining the attention of the others.

Sango and Inuyasha had been trying to keep the fire lit when they heard Miroku's claim. The two quickly looked up from their position on the ground and saw that Kagome's eyes and hair continued to flicker back and forth between colors. The two of them jumped to their feet and Sango grabbed her giant boomerang while Inuyasha unsheathed his Tessaiga.

The being that was posing as Kagome smirked evilly and grabbed the little fox kit on its shoulder, holding him out as a shield. Then the mask that had been in place dropped to reveal that who they thought was their friend was actually Atoshi, causing the group to take a tighter hold of their weapons instinctively.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Inuyasha yelled out.

The being carefully examined the group in front of him. Hopefully he had gotten enough information out of them for it to be of some use to Naraku; if not it would not be in his best interest to return to him.

"I came for information," Atoshi started still holding a now whining Shippou in front of him. "It seems as if Naraku has taken an interest in your absent group member. It is unfortunate that I could not get much out of you; however, it will not stop Naraku from trying to find her."

"Bastard! Tell me where Naraku is or I'll let you meet my Tessaiga up close and personal!" demanded Inuyasha.

"I think not," Atoshi stated haughtily. "I will however, send him your greetings; he does miss you so." Atoshi then threw Shippou towards the group as a small distraction and darted off into the trees. Inuyasha wasted no time in starting off after him, while Sango, Miroku, and Shippou climbed onto Kirara to join in the chase.

Atoshi led them on a wild chase through the surrounding trees, zigzagging his way among them. Since Naraku had given him his "upgrade" he was now able to disappear and reappear in random places, thus making it hard for Inuyasha to track him. Atoshi grinned maliciously as he looked behind him to see Inuyasha's haphazard movement trying to keep up with him.

Inuyasha stayed close behind the incarnate, matching his every move, although many times it was hard to do so. This stupid brat was toying with him, and he did not like it one bit. They were quickly coming close to a ravine and just as Inuyasha was about to make contact with him, Atoshi switched directions and jumped behind a group of closely set trees. Inuyasha skidded to a halt and was about to go after him when Miroku ran up to him, close to where Atoshi had hidden.

"Did you find him Inuyasha?" the monk asked.

Inuyasha eyed him wearily and flexed his claws. Was this the real Miroku or was it Atoshi acting as him?

"How do I know it's really you Miroku?" Inuyasha asked while slowly approaching him taking light sniffs of the monk.

Miroku was taken aback; did Inuyasha actually think he was Atoshi? By the looks of Inuyasha clenching his fists and narrowing his eyes, yes, he did think that he was Atoshi.

"Inuyasha, I assure you it is me. I can release my wind tunnel if you'd like proof," suggested Miroku.

Just as Inuyasha was about to relent, a copy Miroku came from the same direction as the former.

"Don't believe him Inuyasha! He's a fake; he's trying to trick you. I am the real Miroku," claimed the fake.

Inuyasha shifted his stance and was now eying both of the monks suspiciously. Which was the real one?

* * *

Somewhere far away from the events at hand, Naraku sat and chuckled heartily as he watched a confused Inuyasha try and differentiate the monk from his incarnation. There had been very little information gathered as to the whereabouts of the young priestess that had been absent from the group, but little information was better than no information. He would simply have to do some research work.

Naraku now knew that she was training somewhere in a strange village that was home to someone named Megumi. He knew of a general vicinity to where she might be considering the group was on their way to see her. They were north of their regular village in which the frequented; so putting the pieces of the puzzle together should not prove to be exceedingly challenging.

Although nothing popped out at him straight away, he was sure with some digging he would be able to find her. People had a tendency to talk loosely when their lives are being threatened.

Naraku chuckled again; the group was quite amusing to watch in their fruitless attempts to locate him. No one could find him once he chose to abscond; he was found when he wanted to be found and no sooner. Some may see his hiding as cowardly; he saw it as a strategic maneuver. Soon, they would become frustrated with all of this hiding and they would grow careless. That's when he would strike, and he would strike hard. He nearly had all of the Shikon no Tama and he would not give up now, not when he was so close.

Kanna's mirror in which Naraku had been watching Inuyasha and his small group so closely suddenly went blank. Naraku frowned. Someone must have seen his insects and killed them. No matter, he had all the information he wanted and needed anyway.

* * *

As soon as they caught sight of Inuyasha and Atoshi, Miroku hopped off Kirara and took off after them in case Inuyasha would need his help. He told Sango to fly ahead and try and cut Atoshi off just in case he was to get through them.

Sango had agreed and so she, Kirara, and Shippou continued on without him. They flew just under a mile before Sango caught sight of Naraku's poisonous insects. They were no doubt there to inform Naraku of all that was going on, so she quickly made the decision to get rid of them.

Sango hurled her boomerang at them and easily killed the small hoard of insects before directing Kirara to land.

A few minutes passed by and there was still no sign of anyone; and it was quiet.

"Kirara, I think we should move towards them and be sure they're alright," Sango said as she continued to scan the area with her eyes.

Kirara and Shippou both agreed so they headed off in Inuyasha and Miroku's direction. They came across Inuyasha and, surprisingly, two Miroku's a short while afterwards.

Inuyasha was still debating on who to believe; perhaps if he waited long enough Atoshi would get impatient and show himself?

"Inuyasha what are you waiting for?" Sango asked the hanyou.

"Um hello, there are two Miroku's! Maybe you would like to put in your opinion?!" Inuyasha yelled.

"No problem it's obviously the…one…hm," Sango trailed off.

"You see! Not so fucking easy is it?!" Inuyasha said triumphantly.

Sango glared at Inuyasha and looked back at the two Miroku's. She felt really horrible now that she could not tell the real Miroku from a fake one.

"Uh-" she began.

A bright arrow flew past Inuyasha and Sango and lodged itself in the unsuspecting chest of one of the Miroku's. Right before their eyes, the one that was struck returned to his true self. Atoshi, with red hair and pale gray eyes had a look of pure shock on him just before his body turned to dust.

The group turned in the direction from which the arrow was shot and watched as Kikyo dropped her stance, obviously having fired the arrow.

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha whispered. He walked over to her and pulled her in for a tight hug. Her body was stiff at first before she relaxed slightly in his hold.

"Thank you, but how did you know which one to shoot?" he asked her in her ear.

"The aura around the monk was recognizable. The other was not and it was tainted with a dark cloud; it was easily distinguished," Kikyo answered him in a bored tone.

Sango looked on as the two remained in their embrace. As much as she still was weary of Kikyo, she was grateful to her for helping them out. She always seemed to show up when they needed her most. Was it coincidence?

Miroku cleared his throat behind Sango and she whipped around quickly. She had to take a step back because of how close he actually was to her. When she looked him in the eyes, she could see nothing but humor within their depths.

"And what do you think is so funny?" Sango asked heatedly.

Miroku then smiled a brilliant smile at her. He took her hands in his and closed his eyes as he spoke.

"Dearest Sango," he said with mock hurt, "am I really not easy to spot among a fake?"

"What? No! It's just that in the moment I couldn't…you were…and Atoshi-" she rambled.

He opened his eyes again to her flustered face and nearly laughed aloud. His shoulders jumped with his silent laughter and Sango looked at him with all the fury she could manage.

"It's not funny Miroku! I feel really bad that I couldn't tell you apart!" Sango screeched.

By now Miroku was laughing outward and Inuyasha and Kikyo had parted from their embrace to watch the two. Inuyasha shook his head and sighed and Kikyo remained impassive to the goings on between the members of the group.

A loud smack was heard throughout the forest which seemed to echo within the ravine. Sango called on Kirara and she and Shippou took off back towards their forgotten camp as well as their forgotten lunch.

Miroku picked himself up off the forest floor and trudged back as well. Inuyasha looked back to Kikyo who was still within his grasp.

"Kikyo-" he began.

"I have done what I needed here. I have heard rumor that Naraku is somewhere southeast of here; that is where I will be going," she said. Kikyo turned out of Inuyasha's arms and began walking off. Before she was completely out of sight, Inuyasha saw her soul collectors gather her up and then she was gone again.

* * *

**_Well, I hope you liked it, it'll get better in the next chapter, but there were some interesting developments that needed to happen in this one. Reviews are always appreciated as well as any suggestions._**

* * *


	14. Frustrations

**_Hello readers! I know it has been a LONG time since I've updated this story, but I've been in a dry spell with it. However, fear not, I believe I know where I want this story to go now! _**

**_Thank you very much for all of you who reviewed and a special THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to my beta KnockKnock313; you're awesome!_**

**_Now on to the story: Enjoy!_**

* * *

He had tried a few times to leave, but could not will his feet to go any further than the tree line. Out of everything that he would have expected; he did not expect to be battling with himself on whether or not to go. What was wrong with him? 

For almost a week and a half Sesshoumaru had been watching Kagome from afar. He told her that he was to return in two weeks time and he would be damned if he showed up earlier than that. He had his pride to look out for. So instead, he waited in the forest; watching as she went through her training with the elder priestess, and watching as she _finally_ asked someone to help her train in battle.

Many questions had been raised within him when he saw Kagome's choice of instructor. A farmer who seemed to be consistently nervous was her choice; perhaps he should not have left the task of finding a suitable trainer to her for obviously she was delusional.

The first week of her training was spent mainly on the conditioning of her body. They would go on long runs through the forest and do menial exercises to keep her in good shape, and Sesshoumaru had yet to see him teach her a single defensive or offensive battle maneuver. Did she not realize that time was of the essence?

Today he watched as Kagome and this man, Takahiro she called him, readied themselves for another run. He would watch them for today and then once more tomorrow. If there was no change, he would intervene, two weeks or not.

The two of them ran for what Kagome felt was an hour before they stopped to change exercises. She was breathing deeply and holding her hands over her head to try and catch her breath, and while Takahiro was a bit winded, he seemed none the worse for wear.

"Takahiro," Kagome said, "do you think we could work on something different today; maybe something that has to do with fighting?"

Takahiro gave her a reluctant nod; he had been avoiding this moment, but apparently he could put it off no longer. When Kagome had first asked him to train her over a week ago, he could not even fathom how difficult it would be for him to do so. The bandits that had killed his wife were rogue samurai, though he never told anyone about that.

It was one of the main reasons that he never pursued a life as a warrior, even after his father had trained him to be so.

"All right Kagome, the first thing to know, I guess, is how to block an attack. You should stand so that you are not fully facing your enemy, that gives him too much of a target to work with. Instead, turn sideways a bit and put your left foot further out than your right," Takahiro explained to her.

Kagome did as she was told and positioned her body in a defensive stance, trying to imitate Takahiro; with only a little bit of correction from him. They trained like this for well over two hours before he decided that they were done for the day.

"Listen Kagome, tonight the village is having a small festival and I need to go prepare for it. We'll pick up lessons tomorrow."

"Yeah ok that sounds good," she replied.

"Will we see you there tonight?" he asked just before he walked away.

Kagome thought about it and shrugged, "I'm not sure quite yet, we'll see."

He nodded and then walked back towards the village. Kagome let out a long sigh and began her walk to her hut. Lately Takahiro had been really stand-offish, they had not even had dinner together in the week that they had been training and when they were training, he never said more than was needed to instruct her.

To Kagome, it felt as if she had lost her only friend in this small village.

"I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to train," she told herself.

"Do you often talk to yourself miko?" Sesshoumaru said not being able to resist.

Kagome slumped her shoulders; it figured someone would catch her in the middle of a private conversation with herself, but why did it have to be Sesshoumaru? Why did it always have to be _him_ to see her make a fool of herself. He was the person she was trying to get respect from and he had a knack for finding her in compromising positions.

"No, just when there's no one else around to hold intelligent conversation," she wittily replied.

"Your training is lacking," he told her as he circled around her, taking in her disheveled form.

Kagome forced her breath to come out evenly, but she could do nothing to keep her heartbeat from pounding faster as he came up close behind her.

She finally managed to speak again and said, "Yeah, well, not much I can do when my trainer is reluctant to teach me anything useful. He just seems so-I don't know-off."

Sesshoumaru pondered this quickly. Since he had been watching he had noticed her trainer's lack of enthusiasm; perhaps he should make the training sessions supervised. It would certainly eliminate any discrepancies that he held and would also keep him from having to be the one to train her. He voiced his thoughts.

"Starting tomorrow I will be supervising your training. If he has a problem with this then you will find someone else," Sesshoumaru told her.

He reached over and picked a small twig out of her hair and raised his eyebrow at her. Kagome had the decency to blush and Sesshoumaru could not help the stray thought that she looked quite enchanting when she did so.

Sesshoumaru slowly took a step back from Kagome and locked eyes with her before he allowed himself to give her a slow once over.

"Yeah good luck with that," Kagome stated breathily, trying to break the spell that he was placing over her. "It was hard enough to talk him into training me, let alone anyone else in this village. If I talk to him, he'll probably be okay with that." _'I hope,'_ she added silently to herself.

"Very well. See to it that you do not waste time in doing so," he added for good measure.

Kagome rolled her eyes and continued on her walk back to her hut. It figured he had to have the last word. How could someone so gorgeous ruin the effect by opening his mouth? Maybe it was just her, but she thought that they had just shared a moment earlier; and if she did not know any better, she could have sworn that his eyes lingered on her for longer than was necessary.

But perhaps she was imagining things? Wishful thinking perhaps? After all, it was not a bad thing to find him handsome was it? Kagome didn't think so. She was of a mature age and therefore it was perfectly normal to have less than clean thoughts about someone who, well, looked like Sesshoumaru did.

She had not spent a lot of time around the demon lord, but that did not mean that she did not appreciate a good-looking male when she saw one. And Sesshoumaru was definitely good looking. That hair of his looked incredibly soft and it was all that Kagome could do not to run her fingers through it when she was close enough to do so. And his eyes seemed to have an endless depth to them; anyone could get lost in those eyes.

His perfectly shaped face, the beautiful markings that adorned his cheeks and forehead, all added to his beauty. And his _mouth_…

Kagome stumbled on her priestess garb a bit at that thought and when she regained her composure she looked down at herself. Now that her inner musings had been interrupted, she took a moment to look over herself.

Her miko robes were covered in dirt and grass stains; and the kami only knew what else. She lifted her hands to her face and noticed the dirt on them as well, and the small calluses that were beginning to form on her fingertips. Her hair felt as if it had not been washed in a month, and oh how she longed for her scented soaps and shampoo.

Frowning a little at her outward appearance, Kagome wondered why she ever thought that Sesshoumaru would look at her with anything other than disgust. She was not a "proper" woman as the times called for. She was not clean all the time; how could she be? She never conveniently found hot springs just because she wanted one.

Kagome did not conduct herself like a lady of wealth, though she was not without manners. There was no possible way that anyone like Sesshoumaru would find her appealing; it simply was not her luck.

Kagome sighed out loud in self-defeat and dropped her hands back to her sides.

"Problem?" Sesshoumaru questioned from directly behind her.

Kagome jumped a little not expecting him to still be near her and then turned to glare at him.

"Why didn't you tell me I looked so dirty?" Kagome chided.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow at this. "I assumed that you no longer cared for personal cleanliness seeing as how your body is stained with dirt."

Kagome's mouth dropped open at his comment. How _rude_!

"As a matter of fact I _do_ care about being clean. You try training all day with a temperamental old priestess and an unenthusiastic trainer and see how well you do to find time to take a decent bath."

Kagome could have sworn she heard a snort come from the demon lord, but brushed it off. She had more important things to think about; such as a bath and a fresh change of clothes before she headed to the town's festival tonight.

"Do not dawdle, I will be awaiting you in your hut later to discuss training," Sesshoumaru said. He waited until Kagome acknowledged his demand and then departed for further into the woods. To do what was anyone's best guess.

"Jerk," Kagome said under her breath as she continued on.

* * *

Takahiro left quickly after finishing his training session with Kagome. He hated training her; it was just not right for a woman such as she to have to learn how to fight. She needed a strong man to protect her and care for her so that she would not have to worry about that sort of thing. 

When his wife had been alive, he had done everything in his power to keep her safe and provide the best that he could for her. She was his queen, his love, his everything. Not a day went by that he did not try and make her smile and laugh, if only once. She was his to protect and serve.

Takahiro sighed and closed his eyes after reaching his hut. What he wouldn't give to see her face again; to hear that beautiful laugh that brightened up his darkest days. The love that he had felt for his wife transpired through the days and still he could not gain closure over her death.

With one last sigh of remorse he walked into his hut. He stopped short when he noticed he was not alone in his usually empty house.

"Who are you?"

* * *

Deep within the mountains of the southern territory, Naraku sat within the dark confines of his room with an evil grin upon his face. He fingered his fragment of the sacred jewel with tenderness. 

He chuckled a bit to himself when he thought of how easy it had been to locate the young priestess Kagome; and with her friends on their way towards him here, they would not be any hindrance to his plans.

Sure, it would be easy to simply swoop down on her and finish her life with one stab of his tentacles; but since when did he do anything simply? Naraku reveled in the complexities of strategic planning. It brought him no small amount of happiness when he could watch one of his plans go into fruition, and caused him even more glee when one would actually succeed.

To make his foes endure humiliation, sorrow, jealousy, and anguish was something he did not miss a chance to do. No, all of those fools who chose to stand against him would suffer to the fullest extent; beginning with that foul little priestess.

She almost made it too easy for him. He had been closely watching her for a week now and had even laughed aloud when he saw her doing, what he could only guess was supposed to be, training. It was a pitiful sight indeed.

But no, that was not what made him want to lose face and dance for joy. What made his laughter grow to an extreme was observing the man training her. He was such a marvelously tortured soul. Naraku could feel the hurt and remorse radiating from him in waves of pent up grief. He would be the one to help rid Naraku of the priestess Kagome.

No one was immune to the desires of the heart. It was only a matter of finding out what one wanted most. It had to be something that would shut out rational thinking and logic. It would not be hard; when he wanted to, he could be very persuasive.

Naraku grinned again and held out his hand to reveal a puppet he had been constructing for some time now. It held no odor, gave off no presence, and was virtually undetectable. It took on his usual baboon-clad form and was thus far all that he desired in a demon puppet.

He lifted it up into the air and watched impassively as one of his insects took hold of it before darting off, heading north towards the small, secluded village.

With a gleam in his eye, Naraku sat back and folded his hands around the sacred jewel.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

"Who are you?" Takahiro once again asked the dark figure in his hut. 

"I am someone who is here to help you," the oily voice of the baboon-clad character replied.

"Help me? Help me with what?"

"Does it not get lonely in this village with no one to come home to after a long days work?"

"I don't see how that is any of your concern," Takahiro replied shortly. "Tell me what you want or leave me."

Naraku's puppet bowed its head in submission. "My apologies, I meant no ill will. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Naraku and I have heard tell of your misfortune regarding your dearly departed wife."

Takahiro bristled at this; his wife was a sore subject for him and this man was not welcome to speak of her. However, his curiosity of how and why this man knew of him and his past had him urging Naraku forward.

"Alright," Takahiro said resignedly, "you have my attention."

"I am in need of assistance to help me eliminate a potential threat of mine," Naraku said in his deep raspy voice.

"Go on."

"This threat has been the cause of many injuries upon my person as well as some of my…friends. If you help me to rid of this threat, in return I shall grant you your deepest desire."

"What do you know of my deepest desire?" Takahiro asked suspiciously.

"I know more than one would think. I know that you stay up late at night trying to escape the nightmares of hearing your beloved wife, who was taken from you at such an early stage of your relationship, scream in horror as the rogue warriors forced themselves upon her while you could do nothing but watch. How they mercilessly took her life and left you broken upon the blood drenched ground-"

"Stop it!" Takahiro yelled as he put his hands over his ears. "Why do you do this?!"

"Let me take away that pain," Naraku threw out enticingly. "Let me show you what an alliance with me has to offer."

Takahiro opened his tightly closed eyes and lifted his head to look at Naraku. Slowly, the figure of a woman started to take form and not a minute later did the body of his beloved wife, Atsuko, stand before him with a beautiful, but lonely smile upon her face.

"Atsuko…" Takahiro whispered.

"Takahiro darling, how I've missed you," replied his wife.

Takahiro found will to move his legs again and rushed forward to embrace his wife in a crushing hug. His eyes held tears as he placed quick kisses over her face trying to take in every inch of her. She in turn held him closely and allowed silent tears to stream down her face. Takahiro pulled back a little from her and looked pleadingly into her eyes.

"Please Atsuko; please forgive me for not being able to protect you those years ago. I promise never to let anything like that happen to you again!"

Atsuko smiled tenderly at him before she replied. "I do not blame you for the transgressions that have been brought upon me. Naraku here has given us another chance dear; please, for our sake do what he asks so that we may again be together."

"Of course love," Takahiro agreed and then turned to Naraku. "What is it that you wish for me to do? I'll do anything to have my wife back."

Naraku hid his smirk behind his mask and then answered.

"You have been training a young priestess in the art of combat, have you not?"

Takahiro showed his confusion outright. "Y-yes I have. What does that have to-"

"She is my threat," Naraku plainly stated.

"I see. Well, then I will cease to train her so she is no longer a threat to you."

Naraku chuckled a bit at this. "I am afraid my dear Takahiro, that it is not as simple as that. You see, the priestess, although never properly trained as a priestess, has been a thorn in my side since I've met her. This is where you come in."

Takahiro nodded for Naraku to continue.

"What I need you to do for me is really quite simple. Gain her trust explicitly; then one day when you are training her you are going to have an "accident". I don't care how you do it, but see that she dies," Naraku said with barely veiled malice.

Takahiro opened his mouth to try and talk a few times, but found that his words died on his lips. _Kill Kagome?_ Could he really do that?

"I-I-I don't think I can do what you ask of me. Kagome has been a friend of mine since she's been here," Takahiro managed to say.

His wife beside him put a soothing hand upon his arm. "Darling, this girl could not possibly mean more to you than I do, could she? Do you not want us to be together again?"

She brought her hand to his face and gently brushed his cheek with the back of it. Takahiro leaned into her touch and closed his eyes; he never thought that he would be able to feel her smooth skin against his ever again. But could he kill someone for her?

Takahiro looked over at his wife that was once lost to him and closed his eyes in concentration. He could see the face of Kagome behind his closed eyes and tried desperately to find a reason that he should not sacrifice her for his wife; but in all accounts, he could not find one. It had been too long since he had felt the touch of his wife; too long since he had gazed upon her beautiful face, or held her in his arms. He would _not_ let her go so easily this time.

"I'll do it," Takahiro said firmly staring straight into the eyes of his once dead wife. "I would never be able to forgive myself if I had the chance to get you back and denied it."

His wife granted him a beautiful smile then a soft kiss on his lips to seal the deal.

Naraku smirked devilishly and bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Perhaps it would be wise to introduce her to others as someone other than your dead wife. However, take heed Takahiro," Naraku began raising his voice slightly to get his point across. "If you fail to dispose of the priestess I will have no choice but to take back my offer."

"I understand," said a slightly shaken Takahiro.

Naraku continued his threat. "I do not take failure lightly, and I will not have mercy when dealing with those who have betrayed me. Keep these things in mind when you are training our young priestess."

Takahiro nodded and squeezed his wife's hand in assurance that she was still there and to show that he would not fail so that he could keep her with him.

"I will be watching closely, Takahiro," Naraku's last words echoed in his ears before the puppet dissipated into the now evening sky.

* * *

**_Thank you for reading; I'll try and update sooner next time, but I'm working on another story as well - Please feel free to review and let me know what you think; if there's something you want to see happen in my story, just let me know!_**

**_Chapter Preview: Kagome + Sake Good Times_**

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	15. Liquid Courage

**_Hello again readers! Thank you so much for the reviews, you are what makes writing worth while! Finally, a chapter worth reading :P_**

**_Thank you to my friend Sunset Miko for helping me!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

Kagome sighed as she slipped just a little further into the hot springs about half a mile from the village; Sesshoumaru was kind enough to point her in the general direction of it before he left to do whatever it was he was going to do.

She had been relaxing for nearly an hour since it had been her first _real_ bath in about a month, and with reluctance she slowly climbed out in order to head back to the village and get ready for their festival. In all actuality, Kagome was now starting to grow anxious for the festival. She had not been able to properly meet many of the townspeople and what better way for her to do so then in one big gathering.

Tonight she would not have to worry about a knuckle slapping old priestess, or a reluctant battle trainer. No, tonight she was going to allow herself to have a good time, and maybe make some new friends and forget about her wandering friends that had yet to come and visit her, and forget her troubles with Naraku. Just for the night.

Kagome dressed and headed back towards her hut with the promise of making a nice warm fire for herself when she got back.

The walk was not entirely bad; there were fantastic views all around her, but with all of her alone time she could not help but to actually feel…well…alone. Kagome wanted to train, it was making her stronger and her priestess powers were becoming exceedingly formidable. She had a great new stamina for walking and running, and she could clear her emotions from her face if need be in battle due to her meditation practices.

But there was always that something missing; a companionship that would take away that loneliness.

Since Kagome had arrived at the small village she had made but one friend: Takahiro. That was excluding Megumi, for the woman liked to keep to herself whenever they were not training together. Was it any wonder that Kagome needed someone with her?

She had gotten so used to having a group of people all around her at one time that now when there was no one, she didn't know exactly how to deal with it.

Kagome sighed heavily; was she really so dependent upon other people that she couldn't stand to be by herself for a while? She liked to think of herself now as a strong independent woman who could take care of herself. No, she did not need anyone!

So why was she secretly pleased that Sesshoumaru had showed up earlier than he intended to? Why was she looking forward to a boring conversation about her training with the demon lord later on?

Frustrated, Kagome stomped her foot down hard and growled a little at her wayward thoughts. So caught up in her thoughts was she, that she failed to notice when she had made it back to her hut and was currently being scrutinized by the demon lord of her thoughts.

Kagome took a deep breath and gave herself a mental pep-talk before she glanced up and froze.

She took in Sesshoumaru's delicately raised eyebrow and then frowned.

"Don't look at me in that tone of voice Sesshoumaru," Kagome huffed. Her statement only caused his eyebrow to rise a little further in confusion.

"Miko-"

"Listen Sesshoumaru; could you um, please, not call me miko? At least, just not tonight. My name is Kagome; I just want to be Kagome tonight," she asked earnestly.

Sesshoumaru stood still and remained quiet as if contemplating whether to do as she asked. Kagome was about to tell him to forget it until he spoke finally.

"Very well Kagome."

Kagome gave him a tired smile before she entered her small hut to start her fire. Sesshoumaru followed after her silently and then invited himself to take a seat on the floor where Kagome had placed a couple of cushions for him on his visits.

Sesshoumaru silently regarded her as she rummaged about her hut, gathering pieces of clothing here and there before turning towards him again.

"Um, Sesshoumaru? If you don't mind, would you please either turn around or wait outside while I change?" Kagome asked shyly.

Sesshoumaru nodded and gracefully stood before sauntering outside. He was only there a couple of minutes before she called for him again to enter. He studied her attire, noting that it was not much different from the priestess robes she usually wore, except these were of different color. While her usual robes were a dark blue shirt and light grey pants, her new wardrobe was a pair of black pants and a light purple shirt.

Sesshoumaru, almost begrudgingly, admitted that her new attire suited her quite well and even made her sapphire eyes brighten. He watched then in silent amusement as she attempted to put on a bit of make-up, and watched as it smeared its way down her cheek. She tried twice more, but then soon gave up and wiped it off completely.

Feeling eyes on her, Kagome looked up from her small mirror and glanced towards Sesshoumaru. She saw the corners of his mouth up ever so slightly and she bristled.

"Can I help you?" Kagome asked with sarcastic innocence.

"Why bother with the face paint?" Sesshoumaru asked, genuinely curious.

Kagome snorted a bit and turned to place the make-up items back in her bag. "It's not like all of us were blessed with natural good looks Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru felt his lips twitch in a slightly mischievous grin before he replaced it with his cool mask of indifference. Why not toy with her a bit; it could prove to be quite entertaining. "You find this Sesshoumaru good-looking?"

Kagome stiffened her back at his remark. She twirled around to look at him, her face flushed crimson in embarrassment. "Uh-I-um, well, that is to say that, uh-you're not-I mean, you are sort of-a lot…"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her ramblings. That was not _exactly_ what he was expecting. He was expecting her to lash out and get angry or even a little annoyed at his arrogant comment. However, clearly, he had off-set the girl before him.

_So, she did find him good-looking._

Sesshoumaru raised his hand in a gesture for her to stop talking and Kagome immediately quieted; thankful for the reprieve.

"Do you not have a festival to attend?" Sesshoumaru asked in effort to lure the uncomfortable subject elsewhere.

"Yes! Right, I _do_ have a festival to go to," Kagome said a little too enthusiastically. "Um, do you need anything before I go? Perhaps something to drink or eat?"

"I am in need of nothing. I will be here upon your return and we will talk then. Try not to be negligent."

Kagome pouted a little at his haughty tone, but shrugged and left for the small festival.

She worked her way down the street and mingled in with the small crowd of people all heading towards the center of the community. There were vendors set up along the sides of the road offering their goods and food. Kagome smiled and headed towards one of the stands, bringing her small coin purse from her robes.

Megumi had offered Kagome a small allowance when training so that she could buy essentials for her stay; but since Kagome had brought some things with her, she was able to save up the small amount of money and was now looking forward to indulging herself a little.

The little stand owner eyed Kagome as she made her way over to him. He had seen the girl training with the priestess Megumi and had often wanted to introduce himself, if for nothing more than to make another customer.

"Hello miss, see anything you're interested in?" the vendor asked Kagome.

Kagome smiled at the old man warmly, happy that someone had actually talked to her.

"Yes actually, I noticed a very nice looking blanket just behind you-"

"Ah yes indeed, a great choice!" the vendor exclaimed. "You know, I'll make a deal with you. You find a way to get me an outing with the priestess and I will give this to you!"

Kagome looked at the old man in shock and then suddenly beamed a great smile at him. "I will accept your offer, and trust me, you'll have your outing by the next full moon."

The old man all but jumped for joy and then thrust the blanket into Kagome's awaiting hands.

"You know," the old man started, "you're not as awful as some of the women here are saying."

Kagome gave him a sardonic smile and thanked him before she turned towards the food tables.

It was no surprise to Kagome that the women of the small community were speaking ill of her, but it still hurt that such an impression was made on people she had never met before. They had not even given her a chance before they tarnished her name.

Kagome plopped down on one of the benches near the food and absently fingered her new blanket in her hands. She looked around the crowd for a friendly face and when she spotted Takahiro she instantly felt better.

Takahiro looked her way and she waved, but then frowned again when he did not return the gesture. He clearly saw her because he gave her a half-smile, but then turned his back on her to talk to a woman that was close by. Having been ignored, Kagome sunk back down in her seat.

This night just started and already it sucked.

Kagome looked around once more and saw that many of the townspeople were huddled in small groups, chatting animatedly amongst themselves and a group of women who were pointing and snickering in her general direction.

_Seriously, what was these peoples' problem?_

Kagome grabbed hold of a near-by bottle of sake and easily downed the neck of it. The liquid warmed her throat soothingly, so she took another drink. She was not a drinker at all, so the little bit of sake that she did intake was already giving her a nice warm, slightly dizzy feel.

Kagome could feel the muscles in her shoulders relax as she took yet another drink. She glanced at her surrounding and found that people had made their way to the tables and were beginning to eat the offered food. She felt like an outcast here, and Kagome could no longer say that she would be sorry when she left this place when her training was done.

She vaguely wondered if the other village would have been like this to train in.

With a slight shrug of her shoulders, Kagome made her way to the line of people who were waiting for their turn at food, and fell in line behind them. She figured that since she was here she might as well eat something.

Then a thought struck her.

Kagome took a quick sip from the sake bottle that she now carried with her and then bit on her bottom lip in concentration.

_Would Sesshoumaru appreciate being brought some food?_

Kagome certainly was not having a good time among the village people, and although Sesshoumaru did not seem much of a conversationalist, he at least could stand to be around her.

With her decision made, Kagome took another drink of her liquid courage, and ignored the stares as she piled food high upon two plates. She draped her blanket over her shoulders and balanced the plates in both hands, with her bottle of sake tucked safely underneath her arm. Kagome turned towards the crowd that was now openly gawking at her, and gave them a huge grin before spinning on her heels and returning to her hut.

* * *

Sesshoumaru leaned back against the wall of Kagome's hut when she left, allowing him some free time to catch up with his ever-working mind.

Earlier, when he had pointed Kagome in the direction of a hot spring, he had had every intention of letting her be. However, his thoughts caught up with him and thought better of it. Sighing inaudibly, Sesshoumaru slowly followed after her; he had not invested all of his time and efforts in getting her trained for her to get herself killed while bathing.

Sesshoumaru did not think twice about the speed of his pace; he thought for sure that the priestess would not be covering as much ground as he. He did not take into account Kagome's longing for a nice hot bath that resulted in an even faster travel to the hot spring. He had been so sure that he was going to arrive earlier than her

So imagine Sesshoumaru's surprise when he arrived at the hot spring, not far behind the priestess, and saw Kagome slowly emerge herself into the awaiting waters. She was indeed a vision to behold. From his closeness he could see the light bumps playing across her skin as she acclimated to the water's temperature. He could see how her nipples perked at the contrast of cool air and warm water.

Sesshoumaru's eyes rebelled against him as they slowly drank in her form. Kagome's face was set in determination as she tried again and again to lower herself completely into the hot water. His eyes traveled downward to the swell of her breasts and further down to the flat plane of her stomach, and then traveled even further to her hips and then the patch of small black curls that hid her womanhood. The rest of her was hidden by the waters of the spring.

With much willpower, Sesshoumaru turned his gaze away from the nymph and retreated a little further into the woods to give the priestess her privacy to bathe.

Sesshoumaru had pushed the image from his mind in attempt to soothe the burn raging through him. He did not yearn for women in such a fashion any more; that was a thing of his adolescence. He had never found a woman, much less a human woman, to be something that was continuously desired.

Demon women were absolutely stunning, but many held an attitude that marred their features. Human women, while not always ugly, were moderate looking compared to demonesses and had similar attitudes as them, making them even less desirable.

He could not lie to himself and say that he did not find the priestess arousing standing partly submerged in the water. In fact, it was a picture that he would probably keep in the confines of his memory for quite some time.

He felt almost like a deprived juvenile looking to keep with him any sort of erotica he could get his hands on. What a turnabout from his usually careless façade.

It was difficult to find a woman who held beauty and a delightful attitude, so Sesshoumaru had stopped looking.

Which brought him to a new set of issues to deal with. _Was _he looking again? And if he was, would the shikon priestess fall in that category of suitable possibilities?

Sesshoumaru came out of his inner musings and lightly snorted at that thought. He did not need a pining female around him all day. No, he most definitely did not need that.

Mind once again cleared, Sesshoumaru gazed around the small hut in an effort to understand the priestess better. He had been taught to know the odds and ends of persons he did, and at times did not, associate with. It was a security precaution.

He dared not venture into the closed bag in the corner, but there was no harm in looking at the things carelessly left in the open. Sesshoumaru grabbed what looked to be bound parchment from the floor and opened it. His eyebrow rose as he took in the arithmetic in the book; it far surpassed anything he had ever encountered.

Sesshoumaru saw another book and picked it up, this one showing up in a foreign language that he could not understand. Setting both back in their relative places, he picked up the last one in the pile that read: History: Sengoku Period - Japan 1467 AD to 1615 AD. Now _that_ got his attention.

Sesshoumaru was about to open it when he heard mumbling outside of the hut. He gently set the book back in its place and went to investigate the noise. Before he reached the bamboo mat that covered the doorway, Kagome came stumbling through with her arms full of stuff.

Without a second thought, Sesshoumaru removed the items from her hands and set them down on a small table in the corner.

Kagome looked up from the ground and blinked her eyes a couple of times to focus. She smiled brightly when she saw Sesshoumaru in front of her with a questioning look upon his face.

"Shesh…Sho…Seho…man, your name is hard to say," Kagome acknowledged with a nod of her head. "Oh! I brought food; I know you said you didn't need nothing, but I figured what the heck!"

Kagome, as gracefully as she could, walked over to the plates set on the small table and handed Sesshoumaru one, which he took with a slight nod of his head.

Sesshoumaru eyed the priestess curiously before he caught a small whiff of alcohol.

"I find it less than amusing that you return here for our discussion inebriated," Sesshoumaru said in an even tone.

Kagome lifted one shoulder in a shrug and stumbled her way to her mat to sit. Sesshoumaru followed suit and sat down on the other side of the fire to observe the priestess in front of him.

A silence reigned over them as they ate, and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome took yet another drink from the sake bottle. He saw that almost half the bottle was empty and wondered if she had been the only one to partake in it this night.

"Seeeshumuro?"

Sesshoumaru frowned at his butchered name but humored her. "Yes?"

"Do you think I'm intimidating?"

"Hardly," he said mockingly.

Kagome got a hard look on her face and straightened her back. "I can be threatening!"

Clearly, Sesshoumaru did not think so if the look on his face said anything.

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She reached out and grabbed for the bottle of sake, but Sesshoumaru beat her to it and downed the remainder of the bottle in one gulp. Kagome looked at him wide-eyed as he elegantly wiped his mouth and tossed the bottle aside.

"Shusemoru! I was gonna drink that!" Kagome screeched.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her. "Clearly, you have had enough."

"You can be such a jerk, ya know that?!" Kagome slurred. "I can't believe I thought you were good-looking!"

Sesshoumaru took his chance to toy with her. "This Sesshoumaru is still good-looking."

"Pffft! Puh-lease…you're a-well it's-hm…yeah you're good-looking," Kagome relented.

Sesshoumaru actually chuckled lightly at her admission. She was quite amusing when she was loose-lipped.

"Gods even your laugh is hot! It's not fair; you could seduce a rock if you wanted to!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head a little, allowing the sake to seep its way through his system a little more. He had not had a drink in quite some time, and even so, he knew that this sake was not of great value. Even so, he enjoyed the light buzz it gave him.

"Miko-"

"Kagome."

"Kagome; why did you not stay at the festivities?"

Kagome sighed a little before she answered a little more sober this time. "This village has a problem with me apparently." She shrugged before continuing, "It's just as well; I don't plan on being here much longer. I think as soon as Megumi finishes her teaching I'll go to a different town and find someone else to train me in combat. The women here speak lowly of me and the men avoid me like the plague; although I should be used to that by now."

Sesshoumaru did not miss the bitterness that was in that remark.

"Oh! I forgot; look what I got at the festival before I left!" Kagome exclaimed, breaking the unease that came over the small confine.

She padded over to the doorway and picked up a bundle there. Grabbing the corners of the blanket, Kagome spread it out to display it to Sesshoumaru who had stood up after her.

"It's a blanket, I-um-well, got it for-for you," Kagome said as a light blush crossed her face.

Sesshoumaru looked over the blanket with something akin to wonder. No one gave him gifts; not unless of course, they wanted something in return. Did she perhaps want something?

Sesshoumaru looked up at Kagome who still held a look of expectancy in her eyes. "You will receive nothing in return for this blanket from me."

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at Sesshoumaru's remark. She lowered the blanket down so that he could see her face clearly as she spoke to him.

"Sesshoumaru, I didn't get this for you in hopes of getting something back. It's my gift to you for when you stay here so that you are comfortable."

Sesshoumaru looked upon her face for any sign of deception and found none. She was honestly giving him something without expecting something in return. He approached her slowly and grabbed the blanket from where Kagome's hands were; in effect placing his hands on top of hers.

Kagome looked into Sesshoumaru's unwavering gaze and tried desperately to slow her breathing. The way he was looking at her was so…exciting. When she saw his head move closer to her so that his mouth was close to her ear she closed her eyes to feel the closeness.

Purposely deepening his voice while he was close to her, Sesshoumaru spoke slowly. "I thank you for this gift Ka-go-me."

Kagome felt herself shudder at his words and opened her eyes just barely enough to see him looking at her again while keeping his nearness.

Whether it was the sake or some other variable; Kagome closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. For a moment she thought she had overstepped her boundaries, and just as she was about to pull away and apologize, Sesshoumaru dropped the blanket and wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck to hold her in place, while placing his other hand around her waist to pull her in closer.

When Kagome had first pushed her lips against his, Sesshoumaru did not know how to react, but when he felt the warmth of her against him, he let loose his resistance to her and all things female, and held onto the woman in front of him.

Instinctively, Kagome opened her mouth to him and Sesshoumaru did so as well; both of them deepening the kiss and enjoying the moment that either one of them might regret later.

The fire behind them cast silhouettes on the walls of her hut, and the two beings inside cast away the cares of the day.

For tonight she was Kagome; tomorrow was another day.

* * *

**_Woo hoo, some Kagome and Sesshoumaru moments! Took them long enough, don't ya think? I would like to take the time out to honor the sake that helped make this chapter possible. Please feel free to review and give me your thoughts. If there's something you want to see happen in this story, let me know and I will see if I can make it happen. Thank you for reading!_**

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	16. Worse than a Hangover

**_Hello readers, sorry it's been a while since I've updated; you know how holidays are Thank you so much for the reviews, they mean a lot to me and they bring a smile to my face._**

**_Thank you to my friend Sunset Miko for helping me!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

Kagome turned over once again on her cot in the small hut. Scenes from earlier were running through her head and keeping her from finding the sleep she so needed for training tomorrow. Sesshoumaru was going to start supervising the sessions, so Kagome understood that she was in for a tough workout.

How was she to act around him now? Was it going to be awkward or was he going to pretend that it never happened? She didn't want to pretend. The kiss had been wonderful; everything that a real first kiss should have been. It was passionate, it was tender, it was…perfect.

Kagome sighed and turned over again on her mat; now a little uncomfortable with the warmth in her belly she was feeling when she thought about their kiss. There was no way she was getting back to sleep tonight. She looked over at the empty space that held Sesshoumaru's gifted blanket and felt her shoulders drop a little.

Their kiss had started out wonderfully. His strong hands had framed her face in order to hold her to him and she in turn placed her hands on his hips. She knew he had been enjoying it, if the hardness she felt against her stomach was any indication. He had even groaned a bit in pleasure after he heard her moan, but all too soon he had torn away from her and left the hut without so much as word.

For an hour she had waited for his return, thinking that he may want to talk about what happened, but when he did not return she resigned herself to sleep.

That was almost three hours ago, and still sleep had yet to claim her.

'_Maybe some tea will help me feel better,'_ Kagome thought to herself.

She removed herself from her mat and blankets and started out making some tea. There was a rustle of clothing coming from just outside the hut and thinking that Sesshoumaru had finally decided to come back and talk to her, Kagome went to greet him.

When she pushed back the mat to the door, the sight that greeted her was not what she expected. Before she had a chance to prepare, Kagome was pulled forcefully by her arm out of her hut and pushed roughly to the ground.

Many, if not all, of the villagers had gathered around her in an instant. Some of them had seen the demon leave her hut and they were beyond scared and furious that this priestess in training had openly invited a dangerous creature into their midst. Upon informing the remainder of the village, they had all set out to confront Kagome. The village had been living peacefully for years without intrusions from demons and witches or any other dark beings, but ever since this girl had come to them they had seen more than their fair share.

Tonight they would put an end to it.

Kagome hissed between clenched teeth as her knee met with a particularly sharp rock. She pushed herself up on her hands and looked up to see the ones who were treating her so roughly looking down on her with utter contempt in their eyes.

"What do you want?" Kagome voiced strongly, hiding the growing worry in the pit of her stomach at the sight of the mob that had gathered around her. She had a bad feeling about what was happening, and she had a pretty good idea why they were here. Still, it did not make the situation any easier to deal with.

One of the women whom Kagome had seen earlier at the festival quickly approached her and sent her foot into Kagome stomach. Kagome grunted and coughed as she tried to catch a breath after the kick. She barely registered through the pain as the woman proceeded to yell at her.

"Filth!" cried the woman. "How _dare_ you bring that creature here?! I knew you were not to be trusted the moment you walked in this town with an entourage of demon friends!"

The crowd gave an agreeing cheer while Kagome was once again kicked, this time in her ribs. She tried desperately to raise herself up from her position on the unforgiving ground; she needed to try and placate these people before they did some serious damage to her.

"Ahh!" screamed Kagome painfully as her head was forced back by someone yanking her hair. She came face to face with an older man who did not hide his disgust for her.

"Yer ought to be 'shamed of yerself; invitin' that demon inter ya hut! Yer nothin' but a demon's whore!" the old man yelled at her before he spit in Kagome's face.

Kagome retaliated the only way she could in that moment and flung her hands out wildly, successfully making contact with the old man's face. He staggered back a little, but another villager gently caught him under his arms to keep him upright. It caused a bit of an uproar and soon a couple more people made their way to Kagome to deliver blows to her prone form.

"Your demon friends are nothing but monsters and you're no better than they are!" someone shouted out.

Grossly outnumbered, Kagome could only kick and punch from her position on the ground as the villagers all took their turns. She was able to hit a few people back but they were still coming to her in swarms. Kagome could feel trails of blood making their way down her face, but paid no heed to them as she continued to fight back.

Cries of 'demon lover' and 'traitor' sang across the air and Kagome tried to block out everything but her attention towards the rampaging villagers. Vaguely in the distance she could hear who she thought was Megumi trying to break up the dangerous crowd, but they were too far gone into their punishments to stop now.

In the back of the crowd Takahiro stood holding his breath. He hated to see what the villagers were doing to Kagome, but he couldn't help but think if they killed her then he wouldn't have to. He felt awful for those thoughts, but could not bring himself to help her otherwise. He had his wife to think about. He just got her back and he sure as hell didn't want to lose her so soon again. So with little reluctance, he backed away from the mob and went back to his hut.

Kagome could feel herself weakening but she tried to hold on. Unconsciousness threatened to claim her as the numerous kicks and punches took their toll on her fragile body.

"Se…sshoumaru," Kagome called out weakly.

Somewhere towards the back of the crowd a frightening blood-curdling scream was heard. "Demon! It's a demon!"

The mob halted their assault on the battered Kagome and they all backed away from the terrifying sight that had snuck up on them. Most of the villagers could not muster the courage to even run away from the demon before them. Others bowed low to the ground and shivered in fear for their lives.

Kagome looked up between nearly swollen shut eyelids and into the crimson eyes of the massive white dog. His fangs were dripping with acidic poison as were his claws, and he was giving off a very intimidating and bestial growl. This however did not frighten Kagome. Instead when she saw him, she only felt relief and awe as she watched his massive frame tower over the village. He was here because he was protecting her.

"Please," Kagome said to him, "don't hurt them. They're just lost."

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes downwards towards her. He was not at all pleased with her request, but accepted it anyway. It was not him that had been targeted so his revenge would have to wait for another day.

Megumi ran over to Kagome to try and help the girl up but stopped cold when she heard the growl increase in volume. The old priestess looked up to see the large dog demon towering over her with a look of promised death in its eyes if she did not back away. Self preservation kicking in, Megumi took slow calculated steps backward and fell in line with the crowd who were still frozen in fear. They all looked on as the giant form dissolved in a flurry of flames and a powerful crackle of power until all that was left was the humanoid form of the demon some of them had seen earlier leaving Kagome's hut.

Sesshoumaru kept his stoic façade in place, but in his eyes his fury raged. He made it to Kagome's side in a couple of long steps and looked down at her. He wanted to cringe at the poor state that she was in, but instead bent down and scooped her up into his arms.

"Thank you for being here," Kagome whispered to him. "I tried to fight back…but there were…just too many of them."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding and then turned his feral gaze to the now silent mob.

"You call This Sesshoumaru and his kind monsters and yet you turn on your own," Sesshoumaru spoke commandingly to them. "It would be wise to keep your distance from her from now on." Sesshoumaru then turned from them with Kagome in his arms and walked quietly into the forest. He could hear as the villagers released the breaths they had been holding and began mumbling to one another about the events. He even heard as some people only just seemed to realize the travesty that they had committed and sneered at their weakness.

For an entire village to turn upon one person that had done nothing to them was beyond despicable. The humans and their cowardly actions only fueled Sesshoumaru's less-than-noble view of them.

He had only been gone a few hours and the woman he held in his arms had already managed to get herself into trouble. Sesshoumaru looked down at said woman and sighed.

"Forgive me Kagome."

Kagome opened and closed her eyes a couple of times and then looked up to him. "It's not your fault this happened. People are frightened of things they don't understand and act irrational at times. It's partly my fault; I guess I wasn't very empathetic to their situation when I invited you into my home."

Sesshoumaru fixed his gaze to the trail ahead. _'How could she possibly be blaming herself for anything that happened tonight?'_ Sesshoumaru thought angrily to himself. Those fools in the village acted unreasonably and yet she still protects them. He kept his silence for a while as he continued on his way. His brooding was cut short by Kagome's weak voice.

"Um, Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"Where…where are we going?"

"To the springs," Sesshoumaru answered nonchalantly.

Kagome's face reddened a bit at his answer. He didn't honestly think he was coming with her there did he? "Um…are you…do you…why?"

"Do you wish to remain caked in your own blood?" Sesshoumaru asked with a raised eyebrow.

"…no."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head at his small victory. He heard Kagome let out a sigh and decided to try and calm her nerves.

"You may leave your clothing on if you so wish," he stated smoothly.

His declaration only made Kagome's blush deepen even further. She couldn't help herself! Thoughts of Sesshoumaru watching her bathe, and possibly joining her, were wreaking havoc on her imagination.

'_I think I've spent too much time with Miroku,'_ she thought exasperatedly to herself as another image came unbidden across her eyes.

Kagome started to adjust her position in Sesshoumaru's arms but let out a hiss when she accidentally hit one of her many bruises. Sesshoumaru looked down at her and relaxed his hold a little so that she could get comfortable. He hadn't missed the small spike in her scent, but chose to ignore it to save her a bit of embarrassment.

He still felt partly responsible for what happened to her tonight. In all honesty he had been arguing with himself ever since he had kissed her. Ever since he had met her he had been intrigued with her. A small human woman had pulled a much coveted sword from a stone that even he had failed to retrieve. She had shot him with her sacred arrows and stood up to him on a number of occasions. He had always looked down on those who let their emotions determine their actions, and tonight he became one of those people.

Sesshoumaru had been angry with himself that one small gift could make him feel as such. It was merely a blanket, but the fact that Kagome had gone out of her way to get it for him with no hidden agenda for it, coupled with the ever growing attraction he felt for her, sent him over the edge. And gods if it wasn't magnificent.

He had never felt something so sensual in his long life and the fact that he had experienced it with a woman who had been following his half-brother for the past three years did not sit well with him. So he had left; with every intention of not coming back until he had his wits about him. Sesshoumaru had made it quite a distance from the village and the young priestess before a sense of uneasiness came over him. Never one to ignore his gut instinct, he had turned back towards the small village and back towards Kagome.

The sight that met him was not one he was expecting.

Sesshoumaru had seen red then and he did not think twice about showing the offending people what happens when one crosses him and those under his protection. He looked down once more at Kagome and noticed she was on the verge of sleep once again.

"If the elder priestess has taught you anything about healing yourself, I suggest you do so," Sesshoumaru said softly.

Kagome nodded weakly and did her best to place herself in a meditative state. Megumi had taught her how to heal herself, but Kagome had never actually needed to do so until now. She could feel a warm tingling starting in her fingertips that quickly spread through her body until it reached the tips of her toes. Her body gave off a soft glow that would not have been visible to anyone who was not so near to her as Sesshoumaru was.

As Sesshoumaru watched he could see the few bruises that were observable to him slowly fade away. He was impressed, but not nearly as much as when he saw that her swollen eyes were beginning to shrink back to their regular size and the blackness around them had disappeared. In a month's time, this young priestess had realized a lot of her own powers and was now able to properly heal herself on command. Unbidden, a swell of pride overtook Sesshoumaru at that thought.

"I think I've done all I can," Kagome said with a little more strength in her voice. "I got the major stuff; I think I even healed a couple of cracked ribs."

"Very well, we have arrived at out destination," Sesshoumaru answered, trying not to sound too impressed.

Kagome sighed at the wonderful sight ahead of her. Granted she had just been at the hot spring earlier, but after everything that happened tonight it was a welcome sight indeed. Already she could feel the heat from the spring rising up to greet her and she 'eeked' in surprise when Sesshoumaru began to set her down. He kept a firm hold on her as she regained her balance.

"Thanks," she said meekly. "Umm, would you mind turning around?"

Sesshoumaru did as she asked and gave her the privacy she needed. He did not turn around until he heard a hiss come from her between clenched teeth. He looked quickly over his shoulder and watched as she slowly lowered herself into the water, catching a glimpse of her lithe form as she did so. Images of her earlier bath flooded his mind and he turned back around and closed his eyes in an attempt to stop the visions.

Why was he feeling like this? Why was this one woman making his head spin with feelings he had long ago accepted would never come to him?

"Sesshoumaru?"

He turned towards her and locked eyes with her in a silent gesture for her to continue.

Kagome cleared her throat and fought the rising blush that was threatening to overtake her face. "Why…why are you being so nice to me? I'm a human; I thought you despised humans."

"I do not despise humans," Sesshoumaru intoned flatly. "I despise all things that are weak and lack control over their emotions."

"Oh. Well, thank you for helping me tonight. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up when you did." Kagome gave him a soft smile and then rested her back against the side of the spring. She knew nothing she said would ever begin to describe the gratefulness that she felt towards him, so she didn't even try. Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't have accepted much more from her anyway.

"This feels wonderful," Kagome moaned as she slipped a little deeper into the water. With her eyes closed she could feel the tendrils of sleep wanting to take her over, but a soft rippling of the water had her lazily opening her eyes.

He didn't know what had gotten into him, but seeing her there in the spring with only a thin layer of water covering her had him acting on his baser carnal instincts. Sesshoumaru quickly stripped of his clothing and silently made his way to the spring to join Kagome. He knew as soon as he hit the water that she knew he was there. He watched as she looked up at him from her resting place and draw in a sharp breath.

Kagome was battling with herself to not gawk openly at Sesshoumaru's form, but was failing miserably. She arduously moved her eyes from his to follow a path down to his nose, then his lips. Kagome shuddered a little, remembering the kiss they had shared earlier. She reluctantly removed her gaze from his lips to trail further down to his neck and even further to the well defined muscles of his chest. She unconsciously licked her now dry lips, but started when she heard him chuckling. Kagome's eyes shot up to his once more to see clear amusement racing across his own eyes.

"See anything you like?" Sesshoumaru asked her seriously. While she had been openly giving him a once over, he took the chance to do so as well; not that he hadn't seen everything she had to offer already.

Sesshoumaru heard her mumble something about 'arrogant dog demons with nice muscles' while the blush on her face ripened to the color of a tomato.

"What are you doing anyway? Don't you have the decency to give me some privacy?" Kagome said with a raised chin.

"I am not one to pass up an opportunity to cleanse myself. I have no need to be modest and neither do you."

"Whatever. Just, stay on your side of the spring."

Kagome cupped some water in her hand and ran it over her other arm. While she was able to heal the majority of her major wounds, she was unable to completely heal the small ones. So with clenched teeth and eyes screwed tightly shut, Kagome drug her hand over her arm to clean what she could of the blood away. She released the breath she was holding and cupped more water into her hand to repeat the action. She hadn't realized how badly the villagers mangled her, but it was quickly becoming apparent with each painful sting.

"Ow…" she whispered to herself; although Sesshoumaru easily picked up on her distressing declaration.

With little thought, he crossed the small spring to stand beside her.

"Wha-what are you doing?!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Be silent, I am merely assisting you," Sesshoumaru commanded softly.

Despite her better judgment Kagome closed her eyes and nodded her acceptance to his aid. Sesshoumaru brought up her arm and took in the many cuts and scrapes that littered her skin. He then smoothly brought her arm up to his mouth and closed his eyes.

Kagome jumped when she felt a warm, wet appendage snake across her skin. Her eyes flew open and towards Sesshoumaru who was too busy "helping" her to notice her gaze was directed towards him.

'_He's licking me!"_ her mind supplied. _'Sesshoumaru is _licking_ me!'_

"Be still," Sesshoumaru said interrupting her thoughts. He was having a hard enough time concentrating on healing her wounds without her wriggling around.

Kagome drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes again in an attempt to relax. He had worked his way up from her forearm to her shoulder using long, slow strokes. It wasn't so bad, him running his tongue over her arm. In fact it felt sort of…nice. Really nice.

"Mmm…" the moan came out reflexively. Kagome did not even make an effort to cover up her slip. She tilted her head to the side and enjoyed the feeling of his lips and his tongue caressing the sensitive skin of her neck. She wasn't even sure there were any cuts there, but she didn't care at the moment. He was making small steady circles on her shoulder and all thoughts that she had flew the coup when he sucked lightly on her skin.

Sesshoumaru nearly groaned when he heard her moan, but stopped himself from doing so. Her skin was soft and moist from the steamy water and her holy powers that resided just below the surface left a tingling sensation on his tongue. Exquisite. That was all he could think of. Her skin became alighted with small bumps, due to either the weather or his ministrations he did not know, nor did he care, and it made her even more divine.

The small flesh wounds were healing nicely under Sesshoumaru's attentions, but they were the furthest thing from either of their minds. He began to work his way downward across her back and Kagome could feel a heat rising up in her abdomen. She turned towards him more as he worked his way to the other side of her neck and gasped lightly when she felt his hands starting to caress her hips. "Oh gods," she breathily whispered.

Sesshoumaru moved his hands over her hips and turned her in his arms, never taking his mouth off of her as he did so. He wanted to stop himself, he knew he should stop himself, but could not. He lifted his head up a bit to see that her eyes were glazed over and her face was flushed. Her lips were slightly parted and she was breathing hard just as he found he was.

Kagome moved her eyes to his lips; those wonderful lips that were doing such wonderful things to her. She leaned forward and barely touched her lips to his before pulling away. Sesshoumaru kept one hand on her hip and brought the other behind her head to bring her forward and kissed her again. It started out slow with them caressing each other lightly, but soon started to heat up with fervor.

Kagome parted her lips for Sesshoumaru and he took the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. She followed suite and soon both were searching out the other's mouth, memorizing what they could with their tongues. Sesshoumaru lowered both his hands to her bottom and pushed her up against him so that she could easily feel the effect she was having on him. Her eyes widened and she broke the kiss panting heavily, hands resting on his chest.

"We-we have to stop," Kagome said almost urgently. "You…I've never…Oh gods this is embarrassing."

Sesshoumaru steadied his breathing as his senses came back to him. There was something about her skin and blood on his tongue and lips that made him lose all conscious thought and it worried him a bit. He was never one to lose control but in less time than it took for him to kill an enemy; he had easily succumbed to the young priestess's charms.

He looked down at her red face and brought his hand under her chin to tilt it upward. Going against his thoughts earlier, he placed one last chaste kiss on her lips.

"Do not be embarrassed; we will stop now. Your wounds are healed," Sesshoumaru told her quickly.

Kagome brought her arms up in front of her to inspect the wounds that were no longer there. Her eyes widened when she saw that there were not even traces of scars on her skin and she smiled brightly. When she looked up to thank Sesshoumaru, she found him out of the spring and already half dressed. With a frown she made her way to the edge of the hot spring and waited for him to finish donning his armor.

"Um, will you turn around so I can get out and get dressed?" Kagome asked shyly.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her. She was still so modest even after their little happenings; he found it almost endearing. He scoffed at himself after that thought and turned away from Kagome so that she could get dressed. He did _not_ find things endearing; it just wasn't his way.

Kagome made quick work of getting dressed and soon they were both headed back towards the village where the events of tonight had started. She was a bit nervous now to face them, but if Sesshoumaru was there, then she wouldn't have to worry.

"We train tomorrow," Sesshoumaru said. "You and your instructor shall meet me after your instructions with the elder priestess and we will begin then."

Kagome nodded her acknowledgement. There was no rest for the weary, as they say.

* * *

**_So you got a little Sesshoumaru/ Kagome action for the new year. I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to comment and let me know what you thought and or think of the story so far. Constructive critisism is always appreciated _**

* * *


	17. Calm Before the Storm

**_Hello readers, sorry it took a while to update, had some personal things that kept me from writing. Thank you all very much for the kind reviews, they mean a lot to me!_**

**_Thank you to my friend Sunset Miko for helping me!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

The loss of his detachment that had been known as Atoshi left Naraku a little more bitter than he had thought. Regardless of what some may have believed, creating an incarnation took time and patience and no little amount of power. Given that Atoshi had been blessed with numerous capabilities, Naraku had been left a little weak afterwards; a feeling he never enjoyed.

Suffice to say that he was a bit put out when the death of his detachment had finally hit home. Those insufferable fools that had been a thorn in his side for all too long were becoming more annoying than entertaining. And adding Kikyo into the fray had twisted that thorn deeper.

"Kikyo…" the name rolled off Naraku's tongue with venom. She had been the one to shoot the arrow into his 'child'. And now she traveled with the half-breed, Inuyasha, on their way towards his stronghold. He was not quite ready to face them yet which left him with few options. He could send another demon at them, which would give him more than ample time to prepare himself. Or…he could have a bit of fun with them first. Deciding he liked his second idea more, he summoned on one of his better, yet more rebellious, incarnations.

"Kagura," Naraku said simply. The wind demoness had been waiting just outside the door like she was told to do, so in no time was at his side.

"Yes Naraku?" she inquired. Gods how she hated this scum. This wretched being that had given her life, if one could call it that, was the bane of her very existence. The worst part was that he knew it. Naraku knew that she would just as quickly slit her own throat than serve him, but there was always one problem: her heart. Her heart which he so carelessly handled was the one thing keeping her from freedom. Kagura could not die unless it was decided by him that she may do so. She could not be freed unless her heart was released from his ownership, and it would be a cold day in hell when that happened.

Naraku eyed Kagura with distrust while she no doubt cursed his very name within her head. "Inuyasha and his friends are encroaching upon us. As loathe as I am to turn away from a confrontation with them, I am not yet ready," he explained to her.

"What is it that you ask of me?" Kagura pushed. She did not want to be in his presence any longer than was necessary and he was taking his time in giving her, her orders.

"Some new, very intriguing, information has presented itself to me," Naraku said as he absently stroked the backside of his hand. "It seems that our favorite demon lord has taken a sudden interest in our young priestess. The villager, Takahiro, has been given orders to slay her, but perhaps the brothers will kill each other instead?"

Kagura nodded in understanding at the task ahead of her. "What should I tell Inuyasha?"

Naraku waved a dismissing hand in her direction. "It matters not. Just be sure that he is no longer coming my way."

Kagura bowed shallowly and took her leave of his presence. It was bad enough that she had to do his bidding, but to constantly be his messenger girl because he was too cowardly to face the small band of warriors was down right degrading. She knew that whenever she came across the group they looked at her with something akin to pity. Kagura hated pity. Pity was a feeling that a strong being such as her self was loathe to receive. It was maddening to see the sorrowful looks in their eyes and she caught herself thinking that she would just as soon scratch her eyes out than see those looks again.

On her big white feather, Kagura flew towards Inuyasha and his companions. This would not be a pleasant trip and she was already preparing herself for the upcoming onslaught against her. Kagura rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

* * *

Megumi eyed the grinning young priestess with suspicion as well as relief. The awful event that had occurred yesterday was still very fresh in her mind's eye and she couldn't help the shudder that came over her at just the thought of it. The poor girl had been outnumbered and left with no source of defense against the rioting villagers, and Megumi hung her head in shame for their unholy acts.

The young priestess would have surely been distraught over the whole ordeal. Anyone would be after the beating she suffered. Anyone would be cooped up for days, healing both physical and emotional wounds that were dealt to them; crying over the injustice of so many people coming together against one. So why in the seven layers of hell was this young girl _smiling_?

Kagome hummed to herself a giddy little tune while picking herbs in the small garden near the shrine. Her body was a bit sore because of what had happened to her, but all in all she was getting through the day quite well. Megumi narrowed her already beady eyes in confusion. Shouldn't Kagome be crying…alone…in bed?

Megumi cleared her throat to try and gain her attention. Nothing. The young priestess was still humming to herself while she idly plucked the leaves off of one of the herbal flowers. Time for a different approach. "Eh, Kagome?"

"Hm?" Kagome said absently.

"Do…do you want to talk about it?" Megumi asked her.

Without breaking her concentration on the dainty little flower Kagome asked, "Talk about what?" Her smile was still in place as her thoughts were a million miles away, making Megumi shake her head.

"About what happened yesterday, girl," the older priestess breathed out harshly.

Kagome lifted her head up to look at Megumi with a bit of confusion before her eyes lit up with understanding. "No. No thank you Megumi; I'd rather not talk about it." Her fingers again began to play with the petals of the small flower, her thoughts once again drifting off to a certain demon lord, a smile gracing her lips.

Megumi sighed and shook her head again. "Girl, we really should talk about it. The villagers-"

"The villagers have proven that they have lived in seclusion for way too long," Kagome interrupted. Although she hadn't taken her eyes off the herb, she was now very much aware of her surroundings, and the fact that Megumi was twitching nervously at her side. "Megumi…they _attacked_ me. Me! I have done nothing to them, and they ridicule me because of my association with demons and for what?! My friends did _nothing_ to them when they were here and yet they are being discriminated against because they're different."

"Girl, I know it isn't easy to understand. But these people have lost loved ones to demons; it is why they sought refuge here in the northern valley," Megumi explained.

"They've also lost loved ones to bandits," Kagome said dryly. "But they don't discriminate against each other. Tell me how that's fair."

Megumi closed her eyes as she fought hard to not get exasperated with Kagome. "Girl, I am not condoning what they did, please don't get me wrong. However, not everyone sees the world as you do."

"And how is _that_ exactly?" Kagome asked sharper than she meant to.

"Simply that you do not see race when you look at someone. You see the person that they are inside and are completely blind to what is outside."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Megumi smiled at the young priestess's naïve, but very tender answer. "Aye, it is a good thing girl; never forget that. It's just that in this day and age, not everyone is as accepting as you are. Please do not hate the villagers for straying from the path of good."

"Megumi, I don't hate the villagers," Kagome said while shaking her head to emphasize her point. "I don't want people to feel afraid of things they don't understand. I'm only grateful that Sesshoumaru, my demon friend," she said at Megumi's confused look, "chose to comply with me when I asked him not to hurt them."

At Kagome's admission Megumi sat back a bit shocked. She had told the demon not to harm the villagers even after they did what they did? This girl truly was a puzzle. Many would have not bothered to spare the lives of people who have crossed them so. "That's all for today girl. Please take the rest of the day to do whatever it is you need to do."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the old priestess but bowed and excused herself from the shrine garden. Megumi chewed the inside of her cheek in thought before turning towards the back wall of the garden.

"You all may come out from there now," she called. Slowly, the villagers filed into the garden with their heads bowed and their hands clasped in front of them. Megumi did not smile assuredly at them and she did not offer them any pity. She merely watched as they all gathered around her small garden waiting for her to speak. When the last of them had found a place to stand Megumi raised her self from the ground and straightened her back.

"I know all of you heard her, and I hope you take her words to heart. All of you, no matter how much I hate to say it, are lucky to be alive this day. And it is all thanks to that girl who you all so hatefully hurt." The villagers' shoulders sagged and they bowed their heads so low that their chins hit their chests. "I don't know how you're going to make it up to her, but I suggest you try. I regret not teaching you better."

That was the last she said to them before making her way back into the village shrine. The townspeople had much to think about, and if they desired forgiveness then they had all better start mending their ways.

* * *

Kagura maneuvered her way through the low clouds in search of Inuyasha. There was indeed one good thing about being Naraku's messenger, and that was being able to leave his dreaded castle on a regular basis. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the wind blowing through her hair and against her skin. This is what she wanted, what she desired most. The freedom to be the wind as she was intended to be, not cooped up in a dark room catering to Japan's most sadistic half-demon. One day come hell or high water she would be rid of him for good, but until then she would have to do her job as he ordered.

Kagura sighed as she noticed Inuyasha's group down below setting up camp and began her decent. It did not take long for her to reach the group and they were already waiting for her arrival with their weapons drawn.

"What are you doing here Kagura?" Miroku asked strongly. "Come to seek revenge for your fallen brother and sister?"

Kagura snorted daintily and crossed her arms, tapping her closed fan lightly on her forearm. "I'm not here to avenge Micharata and Atoshi's death; those idiots got what they deserved."

"So what the hell do ya want?" Inuyasha tersely asked. "What's Naraku up to this time?"

Kagura shrugged uncaringly; she only came to direct them off course and she wasn't one for wasting time with miscreants. "Where's your little priestess Inuyasha?" Kagura asked slyly.

"That's none of your damned business," Inuyasha stated as he sheathed his sword. It was obvious that Kagura didn't come to them to fight, only to taunt them with her stupid questions. The other members of the group lowered their weapons, but stayed alert in case Kagura decided to attack.

"Unfortunately it _is_ my business as much as it is your brother's it seems," she said, her tone alluding to what her words did not.

This caused Inuyasha to frown in confusion. Why the hell would it be his brother's business where Kagome was? "What are you rattlin' on about? You're not makin' sense."

Kagura felt a headache start to form behind her eyes and resisted the urge to massage her temples. She would have to spell it out for them. "Sesshoumaru, it seems, has taken quite an interest in your little priestess Inuyasha. I wouldn't be surprised if they're off somewhere in the woods right now fooling around," she stated bluntly.

Try as he might, Inuyasha could not contain the laugh that spewed from his mouth at the image that sentence conveyed. "Haha! You think…Sesshoumaru, ha ha ha!...and Kagome!...in the woods…fooling around?! Ah ha ha ha! That's wonderful, really…" Inuyasha trailed off as he wiped a tear from his eye. He then looked over to Sango and Miroku who had similar looks of worry on their faces. "Oh come _on_! You can't tell me you actually _believe_ her? This is obviously some plot to throw us off track!"

Sango looked over to Miroku out of the corner of her eye just as he looked to her. "Miroku…" Sango began.

"Yes I know Sango dear," Miroku stated. "Perhaps we should go and see our friend and make sure that she's okay."

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open at what Miroku said. "You guys, come on! This is _Sesshoumaru_ we're talkin' about here. Sesshoumaru doesn't fool around in the woods with anybody, let alone a human priestess. Let's keep going. We're getting close; otherwise Naraku wouldn't have sent the wind witch her to throw us off course."

Kagura narrowed her eyes at the stupid half dog demon. "Any other day I would say that you're right, but Naraku has eyes everywhere. You of all people should know that. Just don't come crying to me when your brother has his way with your innocent young priestess. I gave you fair warning." Kagura tilted her head in dismissal and tossed her feather into the air before leaving behind Inuyasha and his friends.

"Let's finish setting up camp. We'll continue looking for Naraku in the morning. I want to find him and get this shit over and done with," Inuyasha said as he started digging a small fire pit.

"But what about Kagome?" Shippou spoke up from next to Kirara. "Are we just gonna forget about her and let Sesshoumaru have his way with her?" he asked innocently.

"Keh! There's no way Sesshoumaru's doing _anything_ with Kagome. Besides, even if he was trying to start something-which he's not- Kagome wouldn't do that to me. She knows how much Sesshoumaru and I hate each other. She just wouldn't _do _that." Inuyasha jumped up into a nearby tree as the rest of the group continued setting up camp. Kikyo walked towards the tree Inuyasha rested in and, without looking up, began talking.

"Do you feel it wise to leave the girl with your brother?" Kikyo asked him. Inuyasha looked down at her and sighed.

"Look, I just don't think anything's going on, okay? The main focus is Naraku! Why can't anyone understand that? Kagome is more than capable of taking care of herself, and Sesshoumaru's had the chance to kill her before and didn't," Inuyasha explained.

Kikyo nodded once and turned away from him to sit at the bottom of the tree. She heard him sigh and smiled a little to herself at his next words. "Everyone be prepared to go back north tomorrow. If you're all so damned worried about her we'll just forget all of the progress we've made and make sure she's okay."

Immediately the atmosphere in the camp lightened with the thought of seeing Kagome again after so long. Kikyo was glad to hear that they were going to find Kagome, but for different reasons. While she didn't hate Kagome, the feelings that the younger priestess held for Inuyasha interfered with her final plans to take Inuyasha to hell with her. If Kagome had, in her short time in the small village, developed feelings for someone else, it would just make it easier on everyone in the long run. Inuyasha wouldn't believe anything until he saw it, so now it was imperative that he be witness to the blossoming relationship.

* * *

Sesshoumaru watched on(watched or looked on) as Kagome and her instructor crossed swords. The man, Takahiro, was not completely incompetent like he had assumed at first; a benefit for the man's health as far as Sesshoumaru was concerned. Kagome was doing fairly well in her own right. She was picking up the different stances quite well and the grip on her sword was strong. Sesshoumaru found her to be quite agile, and as much as he hated to admit his distraction during battle training, Kagome was indeed a sight to behold.

Her form was lithe and she seemed to have a natural grace about her; a far cry from the first time that he had witnessed her in battle when she was clumsy and awkward. His eyes followed her every move, sometimes calculating her next action, sometimes watching the way the light sheen of sweat seemed to make her glow underneath the light of the afternoon sun. His eyes caught sight of a single bead of sweat as it made its way down her face to her neck and then underneath the collar of her shirt. She was mesmerizing.

Sesshoumaru shook his head as he once again found himself staring. It was odd the way he was so intrigued with her; she had never caught his attention so much before, but it seemed that he was more enthralled than he had expected. Perhaps the hot spring incident was to blame for this new development? A delightful shiver crept its way down his spine thinking of it, but he brushed it off and continued to watch the training.

"Soften your stance Kagome," Sesshoumaru instructed her. Right away she did as she was told, never taking her eyes off of her opponent. Takahiro however, glanced at Sesshoumaru wearily for only a second, but it was enough for Kagome to strike him lightly on the shoulder.

"Ha! I got you Takahiro! What do ya think about that?!" Kagome shouted joyously.

"Very good Kagome, you did very well. Um, you're learning really quickly," he praised her. Takahiro once again brought nervous eyes to the demon lord who was looking on at them impassively. He was extremely on edge having a demon so close to him, but was trying very hard not to show his anxiety.

"What did you think Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked as she turned to face the demon lord. She had an expectant smile on her face and her eyes were filled with hope that he would commend her on a job well done. She had pushed herself extra hard today in order to be suitable for him and his high standards.

'_Damn,' _Sesshoumaru thought. _'Even _if_ she did awfully I am not certain I would be able to tell her so; not with her looking at me like that.'_ Sesshoumaru nodded his head once to convey his approval to her. Kagome's smile brightened further and she forced herself not to jump into his arms in giddiness.

'_Calm down Kagome,'_ she told herself. _'All he did was nod and you're getting too worked up over it. But damn if he doesn't look marvelous standing there.'_ Kagome blushed at her last thought and dropped her in an attempt to hide it. Takahiro may have been fooled with her attempt at evasiveness, but Sesshoumaru wasn't and he had to restrain the arrogant smirk that wanted to make its way to his face. Kagome looked up at him with her face flush and smiled shyly at him.

They stared at each other for a while and Takahiro shifted nervously behind them. He still had much on his mind and he did not want to be around Kagome for any longer than was necessary. The man, Naraku, had told him to do a job and he was still contemplating a way to discretely do away with Kagome so that it looked like an accident. Takahiro felt his conscience eating away at him, but at the thought of having his beautiful wife back with him he was once again determined to keep up his end of the deal with Naraku.

"Ehem, well…I uh…I think that's all for today Kagome. It was uh, nice meeting you Lord Sesshoumaru," Takahiro stated quickly with a bow before jogging away. Kagome waved her hand absently at the already retreating form of Takahiro, but couldn't tear her eyes away from Sesshoumaru, who remained staring at her coolly. After a while, Sesshoumaru finally broke the silence but not his concentration on her.

"You are improving. Already there is a noticeable change in the way you fight since you first began your tutelage," he said as he took a step towards her. Kagome blushed at the compliment and looked down at the ground. She was still holding onto her sword, but her grip had tightened a little more at his words.

"Th-thank you," she replied timidly.

"Kagome."

She looked up quickly at the sound of his voice so close to her. "Yes?"

"Do not be ashamed to receive a compliment; I do not give them out freely and you have earned it." Sesshoumaru brushed some strands of hair away from her face to tuck them behind her ear. Kagome could feel her heartbeat quicken and her breathing become harder and closed her eyes try and calm herself down. The proximity they shared was wreaking havoc on her emotions and she had to remind herself that this was _Sesshoumaru_, Inuyasha's brother who was making her feel this way. This couldn't happen between them, whatever _this_ was. But you can't help who you have feelings for, right?

Sesshoumaru continued to look down at her while she was having an inner battle with herself. He could hear her fast beating heart and could practically taste the air that she breathed. He leaned down and placed his lips on hers without a second thought and brushed his tongue along the crease of her lips. Kagome forgot about her inner fight at the feel of his lips against hers and deepened the kiss. His lips were warm and moist and his strong hand was brought up to her chin in order to hold her still. Kagome's grip loosened on her sword until it finally slipped from her hands and dropped carelessly to the ground.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her body closer to his, feeling the warmth that radiated off of him. Sesshoumaru lowered his hand from her chin and wrapped his arm around her waist to draw her in further. Her mouth was hot on his and her tongue caressed his seductively. He bit back a growl when he heard her moan and decided that there was a better time and place for such activities.

Without Kagome realizing it, Sesshoumaru had brought Tensaiga out and placed the tip of it to her neck. Kagome sucked in a breath and straightened her spine, breaking away from his mouth quickly.

"Never let your guard down Kagome. It would take little less than a flick of my wrist to slit your throat," Sesshoumaru whispered in her ear. He once again sheathed his sword and stepped away from a blushing and slightly embarrassed Kagome. She nodded in understanding and once again picked up her sword. She absently licked her lips and Sesshoumaru was sorely tempted to taste them again.

'_Another time,'_ he assured himself. Sesshoumaru didn't kiss Kagome merely to teach her a lesson; he had desired to do so ever since the hot spring the night before and now just seemed to be the most opportunistic time. It had been everything that he remembered and more and he was certain that his extensive training in the control of both himself and his emotions would be utilized to the fullest extent while he was around her.

With a slight skip in her step, Kagome made her way back to her hut with Sesshoumaru in tow. She felt like giggling but stopped herself. No sense in embarrassing herself further today in front of him. She reached up with her hand and touched her lips; she was going to have to restrain herself from acting on such impulses in the future. Just how long was this training again?

* * *

**_Not too much happened, but we do see that Inuyasha and the group will be making an appearance soon, what will happen when he sees what's going on between Sesshoumaru and Kagome? Feel free to review, thank you for reading!_**

* * *


	18. Again

**_Hello again readers! Thank you so much for the great reviews, they are -as always- very much appreciated! _**

**_A special thank you to my friend Sunset Miko for being my beta!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

A week later Kagome decided, after four long hours of watching Sesshoumaru gracefully swing his sword in an attempt to show her what she was doing wrong…again, that training was indeed long. If she stepped with the wrong foot, he was there. If her grip loosened and slipped, he made sure she knew it. If she tripped on her own feet, he laughed. Okay so he didn't really _laugh_, but she could clearly see the hidden amusement in his eyes when she had stepped on her priestess robes and took an ungraceful tumble in the dirt. Jerk.

It didn't help matters any that Sesshoumaru looked good - really good - when he was showing her how to properly wield her sword. Images came unbidden to her mind about the kisses they shared over the last week and it left her feeling warm inside. Kagome shook herself from her sinful thoughts that were definitely _not_ good for a priestess to be having, and focused her attention once again on the demon lord who was arcing his sword downward in attempts to slice through the invisible foe in front of him.

"Be sure you have your balance," here Sesshoumaru gave her a pointed look, "placed on your front foot. Otherwise you will end up on the ground and at the mercy of your opponent." He nodded then towards Takahiro who was waiting patiently for the return of his pupil. "Again."

Kagome sighed as she once more took up her ready battle stance in front of Takahiro. She took in Takahiro's posture, subtly noticing that he was favoring his left leg a bit more than his right as he slowly circled around her before coming to a stop and lifting his sword. Kagome did the same and just before she went to attack she was interrupted again by Sesshoumaru's voice.

"Stop," Sesshoumaru commanded. "Priestess, pull your elbows away from your body; you look as if you've never held a sword before." Kagome did her best impression of a feral growl but did as she was told. "Again."

Kagome fixed her stance…_again_, and waited for Sesshoumaru to give his nod of approval. When she received it, she once again charged at Takahiro. Their swords struck once up top and then quickly they both lowered their arms to clash swords again down below. Takahiro was giving her menial instructions as they went, seeing as how Sesshoumaru had told her of her main problems already. There were a few words of approval from Takahiro, but Kagome did not let them go to her head; the only one she was worried about impressing was currently looking on with no emotion on his face per usual.

Kagome pushed Takahiro back with her sword, but he quickly recovered and returned her challenge. Their blades crossed and Takahiro forced Kagome's down, but did not hold her there for long. Kagome twirled her wrist as she had been taught and effectively switched their positions. She aimed to place herself on his right side so that she could throw him off balance, but it was proving a bit more difficult than she had anticipated. Takahiro spouted out a few instructions for her to follow and she complied while never taking her attention off of fighting him.

Sesshoumaru continued his observance and was able to decipher Kagome and Takahiro's movements before either of them made any motion; he had many, many years of sword training to be able to do so. He knew just before Kagome made her move that she was going to strike to Takahiro's right, _'So she noticed he was favoring his left side…good'_. Kagome struck out, but missed her target by scant centimeters. It was still a very impressive attack and both Sesshoumaru and Takahiro allowed flashes of surprise to cross over their faces.

"Very good Kagome, very good!" Takahiro praised her.

Kagome blushed at his compliment and Sesshoumaru repressed a scowl. He had already admitted to himself that he enjoyed watching the priestess's face flush, but only when _he_ was the cause of it. Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome absently tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled a little in Takahiro's direction and then saw as Takahiro nervously scratched the back of his neck. Deciding that he had seen enough, Sesshoumaru interrupted the seemingly innocent display of open flirtation between the two.

"Again."

* * *

The next morning as promised, the small group of mismatched warriors had set out towards the village where they had left Kagome for her training. They were expecting a nice reprieve from their previously tedious mission of trying to find Naraku but for the last week, since Inuyasha so dubbed him self the leader of the pack, there was no rest for the weary.

"Inuyasha would you _please_ slow down and let us catch our breaths; Kagome and the village are not going anywhere," Sango pleaded with the stubborn half-demon. For half of the day they had been practically running to keep up with Inuyasha's pace and Sango was tired of it.

Inuyasha looked back at her and then looked towards Miroku and Shippou as well, taking in their current state of fatigue. He threw his hands up in the air in defeat and then stopped in his tracks. "Feh! Just don't make it a long break. The sooner we get to Kagome and you guys say your hellos and the sooner we can get back to huntin' down Naraku!"

All the tired group had heard was 'feh' before they plopped themselves down to the ground in heaps. It was all or nothing when it came to their dog-eared friend and it was wearing them out quickly. They were still a couple weeks away from reaching the northern valley which housed the small village in which Kagome stayed, but Inuyasha acted as if running them to the point of exhaustion was going to get them there sooner.

Inuyasha grumbled a bit but sat down next to Kikyo who had yet to say a word. Her eyes were closed and she had a look of deep concentration on her face as she stayed still while leaning against a tree. Miroku got a slight chill up his spine and he rubbed his arms unconsciously.

"Are you alight?" Sango asked him quietly.

"Yes, I'm fine," Miroku comforted her. "You…you don't feel anything odd do you?"

Sango shook her head negatively and gave him a slightly confused and concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay?" Before Miroku had a chance to answer, his reason for discomfort made themselves known as they gently and gracefully glided into their camp; their aim being the undead priestess.

"Kikyo's soul collectors," Sango stated absently. They watched as one by one the glowing blue soul collectors deposited small orbs of light into Kikyo's chest. Sango shifted uncomfortably and looked over to Shippou who had a very unnerved look upon his face. Sango straightened up a bit and hardened her voice ever so slightly before she spoke up to the undead priestess. "I don't suppose you could continue that elsewhere? It's a bit unsettling."

Kikyo slowly opened her eyes to look at the occupants of the camp. Although she did not outwardly display her dissatisfaction at being dismissed so readily, inside she was put out more than she cared to admit. She gracefully stood from her spot against the tree and walked back into the surrounding woods to continue with her rejuvenation.

Inuyasha rapped his fingers on his crossed forearms, and glared at his friends across from him. When he was sure that Kikyo was far enough away so that she would not be able to hear their conversation he spoke. "What is your fuckin' problem?"

Sango returned his glare head on and replied, "My problem was that it is creepy to watch as she takes in the souls of dead women. It's bad enough that she does so, but I don't have to watch it and neither does anybody else here."

"Keh! You do whatcha do to survive; it ain't her fault she's gotta do that," Inuyasha said in Kikyo's defense. Sango snorted lightly at this and Inuyasha frowned at her a bit more.

"No, it's not her fault that she has to do so," Miroku conceded which earned him a glare from the demon slayer. "But," he added quickly in hopes of saving himself some pain, "she is the one that _chooses_ to use those souls instead of letting them pass on to the afterlife."

"Would you guys just back off already?! She's been traveling with us for over a week now and you two haven't even made a single attempt to talk to her and now you're putting her down just 'cause she's gotta do that." Inuyasha sat back and gave them a look that dared them to deny his statement. Sango and Miroku dropped their shoulders a little in shame; they couldn't deny that fact, neither of them had tried making conversation with her; she was just so stand-offish that it was difficult to approach her without feeling belittled.

"But she hasn't talked to us either," Shippou supplied harmlessly. Inuyasha grumbled to himself and sat back roughly against the tree. He couldn't deny _that_ fact either; he knew that Kikyo wasn't really the chatty type. It seemed as if they were at an impasse.

Sango sighed loudly and then closed her eyes in contemplation. "Look, I'm sorry Inuyasha. I'll try and get along with her from now on, but understand that I do not want to watch while she has her soul stealers around. Just convey that to her, and I think things will be a bit smoother."

"Whatever," Inuyasha said as he stretched and then got more comfortable in his position. His ears twitched atop his head as he heard the sound of footsteps that signaled Kikyo's approach. He opened his eyes a little to watch as she entered camp again and sat down next to him.

"I apologize if I have made the kit and yourselves uncomfortable," Kikyo said to them in an emotionless voice. "In the future I will collect the souls elsewhere, if that is your wish."

Still not quite happy with their new travel companion Sango, Miroku, and Shippou slowly nodded their heads in reluctant acceptance of her offer. Inuyasha smirked happily at his friends' half-hearted attempt and then looked over to Kikyo. He gave her a grateful look in which he received a small smile in return from the priestess.

"I think it best to set up camp here for the night. I have no desire to return to traveling any more today," Miroku said as he stood to gather firewood before it got dark. The others agreed and set off to carry out their own tasks. A short while later there was a small campfire going and the occupants of the group sat around it in silence, wishing that their trip would go by quickly.

* * *

Kagome walked towards her hut with a slight limp in her gait. Sesshoumaru had been extremely brutal in his instructions and had pushed her to her limit; her only solace was in her soothing bath afterwards. She winced when a particularly sharp pain shot through her lower back. _'I'm really gonna feel that tomorrow,'_ she thought distantly as she continued her walk to her small temporary home. Her feet dragged beneath her heavily and she fought to keep her eyes open against the tiredness in her limbs. She sighed happily when she saw the hut come into view and then furrowed her brows a little when she saw that there was a fire lit inside. _'I don't remember starting a fire.'_ Kagome pushed the bamboo mat aside and looked in to see a nice warm fire already blazing and a complacent Sesshoumaru sitting against the far wall.

"Did you do this?" Kagome asked him as she motioned towards the fire. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked towards her with a raised eyebrow that stated, _'who else would have lit a fire?'_ Kagome shook her head and quickly replied,"Right, right, stupid question I know." The eyebrow went a little further up his forehead at Kagome's ability to read his thoughts at that moment.

"You took long at the springs priestess; you should have been resting by now," Sesshoumaru said to her. Kagome huffed a little but made her way to her mat to lie down. Her steps were again slow as she stepped over and around some of her things in her path, _'I really should put that away,'_ to get to the other side of the small hut. She lowered herself carefully to the floor and groaned in pain as an exceptionally tight muscle protested the action.

"It's your fault I took so long to get back from the spring; I can hardly walk thanks to the torture you like to call training," Kagome returned sharply. She let out a long breath of relief as she settled down on her mat to lie on her stomach. "Ow, even breathing hurts. You're evil to treat me so badly."

"It is essential for your training that you be in shape; your performance today clearly showed me that you are not," Sesshoumaru remarked.

"I would say something to that, but right now I'm wasting too much effort just to tell you I'm not going to reply…so there," was Kagome's clever -in her opinion- retort.

"Hn."

Kagome sighed loudly and then winced again as the muscles in her lower back tensed in a harsh spasm. "Ow." She closed her eyes and rested her head on her folded arms, willing herself to go to sleep so the pain would go away. She heard a light rustle of fabric but paid no heed to it. However, when she felt her shirt being lifted off her back, her eyes flew open and she squeaked.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she screeched at Sesshoumaru. He flinched unnoticeably at the high pitch of her voice but continued on with his self-appointed task.

"Calm yourself, there is no need to wake the dead," Sesshoumaru told her as he forcefully tried to lift her shirt off her back. Kagome was having none of it so he stopped his actions and audibly sighed. "Do not make me rip the cloth priestess," was his only warning before he continued on his course of action. Kagome sighed and relented to helping him remove her shirt, being careful not to reveal more than she was comfortable with.

"I do not need you complaining tomorrow about sore muscles. You will continue training regardless so it is best that you are in sound shape," Sesshoumaru said as he rubbed his hands together to create a warm friction.

"Still, this isn't necessary. A good night's sleep and- mmmm…that feels goooood," Kagome managed to get out as Sesshoumaru began kneading her back. She closed her eyes once again and relaxed underneath his soothing touch, thankful that he had been adamant in doing this for her. She moaned when he hit a particularly sore spot on her lower back and Sesshoumaru grit his teeth together. Did she _have_ to make those noises while he was doing this?

He ran his hands over her- not surprisingly- smooth skin and closed his eyes. Why did he think this was a good idea again? Kagome groaned for a second time and he felt something twitch that he did _not_ want to be twitching right now. Slowly he proceeded with his ministrations, now admiring the tiny birthmark she had on her right shoulder blade.

Sesshoumaru, beginning his silent inspection, took in her curvy figure starting from her neck and gradually worked his eyes downward to where the waistline of her pants was. There were two dimples at the small of her back and he brought his fingers down to touch them. He was fascinated by her body. He had seen many nude women, it was nothing he wasn't familiar with, but he had never really taken the time to study them so closely. His eyes were once again drawn to the birthmark on her shoulder blade and he found his mouth had gone a little dry. His hands continued to roam over her back and he splayed his fingers over her shoulders and squeezed firmly in an attempt to loosen the muscles there.

"Oooooo…do that again," Kagome moaned out. Sesshoumaru's head ticked ever so slightly to the side and then he once again squeezed her shoulders. She let out another breathy moan and shivered. Sesshoumaru watched in fascination as the skin of her back became covered in tiny goose bumps and her scent changed slightly. He captured a small intake of breath and slowly released it along with the spicy and musky smell that had permeated the small hut.

Once again Sesshoumaru found his attention drawn to the small birthmark on her shoulder blade. No longer willing to resist the urge, he bent forward and placed his lips over it before giving it a languid stroke with his tongue. Sesshoumaru felt Kagome stiffen underneath him, but that wonderful smell was now back tenfold. So he did it again.

Kagome was more than surprised when she felt Sesshoumaru's mouth on her shoulder blade, but it felt so good that she didn't make a move to stop him. He had been working wonders on her back with those magnificent hands of his and she could only hope that he didn't realize she had been a bit turned on by him touching her. Her breathing became a bit harder then as Sesshoumaru continued to suck gently on the junction of her neck and shoulders. His hands never stopped moving, still rubbing circles over her back.

Sesshoumaru continued to place slow kisses across her back and soon moved his hands to her hips. He grasped them firmly before he ran his hands up her sides and then underneath her to capture her breast in his hands. Kagome gasped at the incredible feeling this produced and unguardedly lifted herself up a little to accommodate him. She was still lying on her stomach, but now Sesshoumaru was almost lying over her back. He was straddling her hips while resting slightly on her bottom, trying to keep his full weight off of her.

Kagome panted lightly since she was no longer able to draw in an ample amount of air by breathing through her nose. Her face was flushed with arousal and she moaned lightly when she felt Sesshoumaru's mouth latch onto her neck. His lips were warm and soft against her tender skin and his hands left tiny fires wherever he touched her. She could feel the evidence of Sesshoumaru's arousal pressed firmly against her backside and it wrought another delightful shiver to run up and down her spine. Her hips pushed back against his of their own accord and Kagome breathed out an "oh god" when she felt him trail kisses down her spine.

Sesshoumaru growled out his pleasure of her movement against him and it vibrated through her. He thrust his hips gently into her backside and she ground herself against him, creating a sensuous friction. His hands were moving once again over her back in light, feathery strokes with his tongue following closely behind. He kissed the small of her back and his fingers were working their way underneath the waistline of her pants when the bamboo mat door of the hut was flung open.

"Oh! I'm so sorry; please excuse me. I didn't know I was interrupting!" Takahiro said quickly, his eyes about to pop out of his head and roll across the floor at the sight of a half naked Kagome being sensually assaulted by Sesshoumaru.

Kagome squeaked loudly and pressed her body as firmly to the mat as she could while searching around for her blanket. Sesshoumaru repositioned his body in front of Kagome so that Takahiro's view of her was blocked. When the man simply stayed rooted to his spot Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him.

"Get. Out." Sesshoumaru demanded darkly. Takahiro's eyes widened and he bowed several times in rapid succession and then backed out of the hut so fast that he lost his balance and fell on the ground outside.

"Oh man, that…was embarrassing," Kagome groaned out as she slipped her shirt on back over her head. Sesshoumaru remained with his back towards her in order to give her some semblance of privacy. Kagome could not believe that she had been doing such things with Sesshoumaru; one small kiss to her shoulder and she came undone. As embarrassed as she was, Kagome was almost thankful for the interruption; she wasn't exactly sure if she would have stopped herself, or Sesshoumaru for that matter, if they'd gone any further. What was it about him that completely made her lose her inhibitions? When Kagome finished dressing she slowly stood and walked to the doorway. A clawed hand on her shoulder stopped her movement and Kagome looked back to where Sesshoumaru was standing. "What?"

"The village residents are outside of your hut," Sesshoumaru informed her. He felt her back stiffen and saw flash of fear pass over her features before relaxing again.

"It's okay. They wouldn't try hurting me with you around. You really scared them the other night," she said giving him a small smile. Sesshoumaru nodded and released her, but followed along as she headed for the bamboo mat.

Sesshoumaru fought the urge to run a hand across his face. He was entirely too liberated when around this female. First it was the hot springs, then a few kisses here and there, but this…this was too much for even him to grasp. Her skin was just too soft and her scent too intoxicating. Sesshoumaru found it almost hard to believe that this was the same girl that had followed his idiotic half-brother around Japan's countryside for the past few years; she had definitely done some growing up-in more ways than one. His eyes followed her curvy form as she made her way out the door flap.

It was as Sesshoumaru had said; the entire village was gathered outside of her hut and Kagome approached them with trepidation. "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked the group, looking straight at Takahiro who seemed to have been chosen as the spokesman for the group.

Takahiro walked up to her, a slight blush on his face as he remembered how he had found her, before he dropped to his knees and bowed low to the ground. "On behalf of the village and myself, we would like to humbly ask your and the demon lord's forgiveness for our horrible transgressions," Takahiro pleaded to her, silently adding in his transgression that he had yet to carry out.

Kagome looked slightly taken aback; they were _apologizing_ to her and Sesshoumaru? Whatever it was she was expecting for him to say, this certainly wasn't it. "Um, I…uh…" Kagome said brokenly. She turned towards Sesshoumaru for help, but he was merely staring at the crowd of people, wordlessly daring anyone to try something. Kagome frowned a little but turned back around, this time with a little more confidence.

"I wouldn't be much of a priestess if I could not forgive those whom I've sworn to protect and aid. So, I forgive you all; I just hope that another _incident_ such as this does not occur ever again," Kagome stated strongly. She watched as the villagers all bowed and nodded their thankfulness and acceptance and she released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Um, if you all don't mind," Kagome started, "I really need to get some rest. Thank you for coming here, I know-"

"Actually Kagome," Takahiro spoke again as he rose from the ground, "our apology was not the only reason we came here tonight. To show our sincere regret for what happened, and our less than hospitable acceptance of you in our village, we would like to hold a dinner in your and the demon lord's honor."

This was becoming way too much for Kagome to handle; now they wanted her and Sesshoumaru to be the guests of honor at a dinner? She was torn between being ecstatic and being embarrassed at receiving so much attention. She did not want to make the decision by herself, so once again she turned towards Sesshoumaru. He _would_ answer this time.

"What do you think Sesshoumaru?" she asked him softly. Sesshoumaru quietly contemplated the villagers' request while trying to decide whether or not he wanted to actually attend this function. He looked over at Kagome who had a pleading look in her eyes that told him she did not want to do this alone and he resigned himself to his fate. Sesshoumaru turned fully towards the crowd and then answered.

"Do as you wish," was all he said before disappearing back into Kagome's hut. Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief and then smiled at the villagers.

"I guess that means yes," she giggled nervously.

Takahiro approached Kagome nervously and lowered his head so that he didn't have to look her in the eyes. "Uh, Kagome…I just want to say that I'm sorry for just barging into your hut as I did. I didn't mean to, uh…interrupt whatever it was you and Lord Sesshoumaru were doing."

Kagome's face flushed red in embarrassment as a couple of the villagers who had stuck around after the announcement looked curiously at her. She was brought back into reality and suddenly became aware that Takahiro had continued on with his very uncomfortable apology.

"…and I mean, I know it's none of my business what you do in the privacy of your own home, I'm just saying that you should be careful when you decide to give yourself-"

"Takahiro!" Kagome squealed.

"Eh?"

"Please, um, it's-it's okay, I know you didn't mean to do it. Let's just forget that it happened okay?" Kagome didn't think that her face could get any hotter as she saw that a few stragglers from the group stopped and were staring disbelievingly at her after Takahiro's rambling. He looked up at her and blushed himself at having been so forward in his blathering.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I think I should probably just get going now." Kagome nodded absently and Takahiro wasted no more time in getting as far away from Kagome as he could. Kagome closed her eyes to try and will away the headache that was trying to push its way through her skull. When she opened her eyes again she sighed.

"Nope, still here," she told herself. A couple more curious stares had her making her way back to her small home.

"Well…good night," Kagome said as she waved awkwardly at the last few villagers. She then walked back into her hut as well; trying hard not to wince at every step she took as once again her muscles protested every movement she made. She looked at Sesshoumaru who had now taken a seat against 'his' wall on the opposite side of the fire from her bed.

'_I guess that means my massage is over,'_ she thought in resigned disappointment. _'Perhaps if I work extra hard during next week's training he'll do it again?'_ With that promising thought, Kagome lowered her tired limbs to her bed and drifted happily off to sleep.

* * *

**_Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review and let me know your thoughts; you guys rock!_**

* * *


	19. Death Threat

**_Hello again readers! Thank you so much for the reviews, you guys are awesome! I know not many people are interested in this story, but it is my pride and joy and knowing that there are even a few people reading it means a lot to me. So I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! _**

**_Thank you to Sunset Miko for being my beta (I was queen of the commas in this chapter, ne?)_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

**_CHAPTER NINETEEN- DEATH THREAT_**

Naraku sat back against the wall and pursed his lips in agitation. Inuyasha and his group of miscreants had made it far too close to his stronghold for his liking; he was certain that had he not sent Kagura to them, they would have indeed made it to him.

"Curses," he hissed in the darkness. He was not quite ready to face off against his enemies. His time of regeneration was well upon him and he felt weak and unstable while absorbing lesser demons for his benefit. To make matters worse, out of three of his newest incarnations, only one was left alive and he was reluctant to send him off to battle. It was the being with four different personalities with four different names: Hukio, Ikkaku, Hiagi, and Ruki. The creature was highly unstable with his split personalities which made it hard to determine how well he would do in the midst of battle. If he could find a way to make one become four, then he would have a very strong little army of incarnations. The last personality could be dealt with accordingly. Naraku had no use for gentle minions; it would die as soon as the other personalities were made separate.

He hated being in this state; he was weak and vulnerable and it would take nearly nothing for one of his enemies to cut him down if they found him. Naraku could only pray that Inuyasha and his group would keep themselves busy enough to forget him, even if just for a moment. Trying to make one being with four different personalities into four completely individual things was going to be a lot of work, so his energy resources needed to be at full capacity. He had been resting for nearly over a month and a half and he could feel himself growing stronger.

Naraku flexed a taught muscle on his forearm and smirked. It would not be much longer now. Forget the massive failure that was the battle where he rounded up demon upon demon; he knew when to cut his losses. No, now he had an even better plan that would require less outside help. The remaining sacred jewel shards that were constantly held around the priestess's neck would soon be his, and then the jewel would finally be complete.

Naraku leaned forward and intertwined his fingers in thought. It had been over a week since he had checked in on his newest helper, Takahiro, and the last that he had heard there was little progress with him taking care of the young priestess. Naraku was waiting rather impatiently for Inuyasha and his group to get to the small village that temporarily housed Kagome. As soon as Inuyasha saw with his own eyes that a budding relationship had formed between Kagome and Sesshoumaru, a demon that Inuyasha could stand little more than Naraku himself, there was sure to be a clashing of swords, and with any luck, one or both of the brothers would wind up dead.

Thinking back to his reluctant helper, Takahiro, Naraku began formulating a small plan to perhaps speed things along. The death of the young priestess would surely be more than any of her close friends would bear to handle. Hell, they had almost fallen apart the first time he had been so close to being rid of her for good.

"Perhaps it's time to check up on my young Takahiro and his dear wife?" Naraku said to himself. "No doubt he would be glad to see me."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Kagome finished her training with Megumi. They had been working studiously on aura recognition and tracking for the past few days and Kagome, come to find, was a natural. The old priestess had been so excited about Kagome's ability that she kept her late into the day merely to come up with test after test to watch her work. Kagome was able to discern one person's aura from another's and also tell what kind of energy was around them, be it peaceful or otherwise. 

Megumi would bring in a few people from the village as volunteers and Kagome would study them for a short time before they hid somewhere around the shrine. The old priestess would tell the villagers to either think of something happy, sad, something that made them angry, or to just relax and try to think of nothing at all. Kagome was then to find them without moving from her spot and identify their emotions based on what she read of their aura. She was quite successful in doing so, and Megumi was more than happy to keep her busy.

"Brilliant girl, simply brilliant! Why, in all my years I have never seen anything quite like this! You have picked up this skill so easily…now if only you could do that with the rest of your training," Megumi _complimented_ her.

Kagome went to massage her temples but was stopped by a sharp wrap to the back of her hand by Megumi's old fingers.

"Ow! What was that for?" Kagome asked stunned.

"We will have none of that missy!" Megumi told her sternly. "Your flailing emotions are going to get the better of you one day."

"I thought that priestesses were _supposed_ to be emotional creatures," Kagome relayed.

Megumi nodded her head a couple of times and stroked her chin thoughtfully. "No," the old priestess said while shaking her head. At Kagome's raised eyebrow, Megumi explained herself more clearly. "Well, yes, but no. Girl, priestesses work day in and day out healing and comforting those in need of our abilities. It would not do to let them see you weary for they would just become discouraged. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand," Kagome said, absently rubbing the back of her hand where Megumi struck her. "Um, if that's all for today, I really need to get to my training with Takahiro."

"Yes, yes," the old priestess said while waving her hands about. "Be here bright and early tomorrow morning, and don't forget the pails of water."

"How could I forget?" Kagome mumbled with a frown on her face.

"What was that girl?"

"Nothing Megumi! I'll see you in the morning!" Kagome said as she left the shrine. She made her way down the steps and walked towards the surrounding woods to the clearing that had been dubbed her training ground. The shrine was at the edge of the village and so it sat right up against the surrounding forest. The entire village looked as though it was behind a wall of trees, which in effect, it sort of was. They were blocked off from view from any travelers, and were only indicated by the smoke from the fireplaces in the huts. It was a very secluded place that Kagome was slowly starting to get attached to.

Kagome continued her walk to the small clearing where she saw Takahiro patiently awaiting her arrival. Kagome jogged the rest of the way to him and she was quick to apologize for her tardiness.

"I'm so sorry Takahiro, Megumi kept me late. But I'm here now!" Kagome said with a bright smile.

Takahiro shifted nervously but shook his head to clear his mind. "It's okay Kagome…um, where is the dem- I mean, Lord Sesshoumaru today?" Kagome heard the accidental slip, but smiled lightly at his attempt to fix it. It was going to take a while for the villagers to completely let go of their years of discriminations, but it was a start.

"He had some things that needed his attention, but he'll be back later," Kagome informed him. This morning when Kagome woke up, Sesshoumaru was up and dressed pristinely, although there was no surprise there. But for the last week or so he had removed his armor when he slept, so she was almost used to seeing him without it in the mornings. When she had questioned him on it, discretely mind you, Sesshoumaru told her that he needed to check on the welfare of his ward and retainer, but that he would be back before sunset. "Shall we start my training?"

Takahiro's stance visibly relaxed at the mention of Sesshoumaru being away, but Kagome took no notice of it. She did a couple of stretches and a few jumping jacks to get her blood pumping and then got set in her stance to await Takahiro's instruction. He took up his own stance and readied his sword. "Alright Kagome, come at me."

Doing as she was told, Kagome charged for him. Their swords crossed and hit many times, the sound echoing through the clearing and making birds scatter every now and again. During her training she had strengthened exponentially and while she was still not as strong as Takahiro, she gave him quite a workout. He could no longer push her back with little effort; she in fact was the one to push him back more often than not now.

Takahiro swung his blade around, trying to dislodge the handle of his sword from that of her own. It left a wide enough opening and Kagome took it, tapping him on his side with her steel. He nodded and told her 'good' before they continued on with the training exercise.

An hour past by and Kagome was feeling the effects of the arduous training with the aching of her limbs. The sun was starting to set over the horizon and Kagome panted with exertion each time she struck out at Takahiro. His movements were also slowing, but he was still the better off. He could see her having a hard time lifting her sword so he held up his hand finally for her to stop. "Kagome…I uh, I think that's enough for today."

Kagome nodded in thankful relief and sat down on the ground beneath her. With her sword still loosely in her grip she laid back on the ground to catch her breath. Takahiro worked her especially hard today, though she was not sure if that was because he felt more liberated since Sesshoumaru was not around, or if he just felt she was not doing as well as she could be. "If I didn't know any better Takahiro, I'd say you were trying to kill me," Kagome breathed out, still panting for air.

Takahiro's eyes widened marginally and he nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Nonsense Kagome I was…just…trying to measure the uh, level of your progress," he quickly told her. He waited with bated breath while Kagome remained laying on her back; he didn't know if she could sense his apprehension or not, but he hoped that she didn't. After a couple of tense moments for him Kagome sighed again and smiled at him.

"So? How am I doing?" she asked curiously.

Takahiro breathed out finally and gave her an uneasy smile. "You're doing very well Kagome. You're picking up sword play quickly and you seem to have a natural talent for it."

"Really?" Kagome asked. At Takahiro's nod she smiled again and then closed her eyes. "Funny, I seem to be getting that a lot today." She sighed deeply then sat up to wrap her arms around her knees. The day was proving to be very successful for her and she couldn't wait to tell Sesshoumaru what both Megumi and Takahiro had said of her abilities.

"Um, I'll be going now," Takahiro told her as he gathered his few belongings. "Have a good night." He waved and within seconds he was out of sight and on his way back to the village.

"I guess he's not much of a talker anymore," Kagome mumbled to herself tiredly. She shrugged and stretched her arms over her head before making a move to get up. She tensed when at the edge she felt the presence of unwelcome visitors. Straightening her back and collecting her sword Kagome shut her eyes to help her concentrate on the feeling. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and goose bumps started to form on her skin. Her training on recognizing auras was put into use and Kagome's heartbeat sped up at what she discovered. She was alone, and there were five discernable demons with malicious intent coming straight for her.

"Well this just sucks..."

* * *

Still another week away from Kagome and the small village, Inuyasha and his group carried themselves through the thick underbrush of the surrounding forest with little patience. As per usual, Inuyasha was in the lead of the small group, walking side by side with the undead priestess, and followed by Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara. Sango's lips were pursed and her hands clenched and unclenched into fists while they continued walking. Miroku inspected her out of the corner of his eye, trying best to decide how to placate the demon slayer without ending up the focus of her wrath 

"Ahem…Sango my love?" Miroku attempted. In return he got a low feminine growl and an icy glare from the woman. Miroku grabbed a hold of the collar on his robes and gave it a tug to pull it away from his neck; Sango was very intimidating when she was angry.

"Sango dear, I'm sure she didn't mean it the way it came ou-"

"Can it monk! Don't stick up for her! She _clearly_ insulted me and it is in my right to want to see her off to the afterlife," Sango hissed out. Shippou cringed and decided it would be safer to hitch a ride on the shoulder of the now retreating form of Miroku as he slowed his pace to get out of Sango's line of sight.

Shippou leaned over to whisper into Miroku's ear. "Why is Sango so upset? You didn't grope her did you?"

Miroku dropped his head sadly before answering. "Unfortunately Shippou, I haven't had the pleasure of filling my hand with…er…never mind. Sango is upset at something Kikyo said to her today. It would be best not to mention anything."

"But I want to know," the little fox kit whined.

Miroku scratched his head in thought for a moment before he decided to enlighten Shippou. "Kikyo, however lightly she said it, in essence told Sango she believed that her slayer's uniform was restricting her movements because it was excessively snug. She then went on to give her a suggestion that Sango should be more careful about her food consumption, so that her uniform would once again fit."

Shippou cringed yet again after Miroku's divulgence. "Kagome told me you're never supposed to talk about a woman's eating habits," he said proudly while shaking his head.

"Indeed," Miroku replied while wearily eyeing Sango's large boomerang and her set view of Kikyo's back. "Perhaps I should try and dispel her anger towards Kikyo before she does something that will upset Inuyasha. Buddha knows that we do not need more hostility from him." Shippou nodded in agreement and patted Miroku on the head.

"I'm behind you Miroku, you can count on me!" the kit told him while puffing out his chest.

Miroku smiled at Shippou in appreciation. "Then I hope you still have that cold compress Kagome gave you, because I'll need it after the hit I'm about to receive." Miroku sauntered up stealthily towards Sango who was still glaring at the back of Kikyo's head. He came up right behind her and took a deep breath before grabbing Sango's hips and pulling her back into him.

Sango blushed at first at the contact, but quickly gained her bearings when she felt his hands slip to her thighs and give a gentle squeeze. _'Why do you make me do this to you monk?'_ Sango thought to herself just before she whirled on him and landed a blow to his head that left him debilitated on the ground. "Pervert!"

Shippou lightly tapped Miroku on his cheeks to get his eyes to focus. Having heard all the commotion behind them, Inuyasha and Kikyo stopped their advances and retraced their steps back to the rest of the group.

"You're an idiot, you know that Miroku?" Inuyasha told the half-conscious monk. "I guess we'll stop here for the night. You guys make a fire and I'll go get some food. Try not to grope anyone while I'm gone, will ya monk?"

With Shippou nursing a battered Miroku back to health, Kikyo and Sango were left to set up camp. Together. Sango scowled but started to pick up some firewood while Kikyo did the same. Neither of them talked, but Sango occasionally shot glares in Kikyo's direction when she moved a bit too close for her liking. Kikyo was doing her best not to think much on Sango's glares, but it was hard to do so when it felt as if they were trying their hardest to burn a hole in your head.

"Think I'm fat do ya?" Sango grumbled to herself while she bent over to pick up another stick for the fire. "Well I think you're pasty and need a personality."

* * *

Kagome looked around the clearing as the demons emerged from their hiding places to stalk up to her. She remained cool and collected on the outside and, while not completely freaking out on the inside, she was still nervous as they closed in on her. Since she was in the middle of the clearing, it also put her conveniently in the middle of the small mob of demons as they circled her. Convenient for _who_ still had yet to be determined. 

"Lookie here boys," one of the demons, with an exceptionally long feather sticking from the top of his head said. "Looks like we got ourselves an early evening snack." The other demons laughed like morons in agreement and Kagome fought back the urge to roll her eyes in front of them. She was anxious yes, but she also knew that she hadn't been training with Megumi, Takahiro, and Sesshoumaru for nothing. Although, she was still pretty beat from her training with Takahiro earlier.

"I don't want to have to hurt you," Kagome told them strongly, "but don't think I'll hold back on your sakes if you decide to attack." The demons' steps hesitated only for a moment, but that was enough for Kagome to know that they were wary of her. She lifted her sword and dropped into her battle stance to prepare for an attack.

"I like 'em feisty," the obvious leader of the group said. He gave Kagome a nice leer that made her skin crawl and then licked his dry parched lips in anticipation. "You know our orders boys…get her!"

The group of demons was on her fast but Kagome held her ground. The first one moved to strike her with his sword waving precariously in the air and Kagome ducked out of the way just in time before it could graze her skin. While in a crouched position she took her opportunity to charge her sword with her holy powers and easily sliced through the demon's leg. He howled in pain as his right leg was severed just below the knee and toppled to the ground, but managed to kick Kagome's sword from her hand with his remaining lower limb on his way down.

She rose quickly and dashed for her blade when a second demon grabbed her from behind and held her arms to her sides to keep her from striking out. A third demon charged at her fast while she was being held, but Kagome had already formulated her plan. The demon holding her tightened his already strong grip and Kagome choked for air. Seeing that the charging demon was near, she pushed up off the ground with her feet and kicked the oncoming demon as hard as she could before using her newfound leverage to bend forward and flip the demon holding her over her shoulders and onto the ground.

Kagome swiftly reached her sword and somersaulted to get her back into the defensive mode. She looked around the clearing and took a quick inventory of the damage: one demon with a severed leg that was no longer a threat, two demons that were nursing slight wounds, but were back on their feet, and two more who had yet to take a turn at her. Kagome was mentally cursing Sesshoumaru for his bad timing in leaving, but decided that later would be a better time to dwell on that.

The four demons that remained were once again encircling her, and Kagome rapidly scanned them in an attempt to determine which would advance first. Without closing her eyes as she had done during training with Megumi, Kagome read their auras carefully. She waited until she could feel a higher energy that would signal attack. Finally one of them made their move and Kagome swung her sword at him with practiced ease. The demon thrust his blade at her and she dodged then took her own stab at him. The steel went through the demon's left side and Kagome gave it a nice twist before pulling it out to stab him one more time in the other side, this time with her blade charged with holy energy. The demon screeched and clutched both of his sides as if hugging him self before he was reduced to ash. Now she was down to three and Kagome stepped back to increase the distance between her opponents and her self.

"You think you're pretty clever, don't cha girlie?" the ringleader taunted her while shaking his head. "We've been way too nice with you and look what we get in return," he continued while pointing towards his fallen comrades. He glanced to the side at the two who remained and motioned to them with a quick tilt of his head. Both demons charged simultaneously with weapons drawn and ready.

Kagome swung her sword to meet with the first demon's blade and the clang of metal on metal rang throughout the clearing. She pushed the demon back with all her might and he stumbled enough to give her time to turn and strike at the demon who had tried to get in a cheap shot while her back was turned. They crossed swords and he overpowered her tiny frame, quickly pushing her back to throw her off balance. With her sword stuck on the demon's own, Kagome used whatever means necessary to insure her survival. She quickly with as much force as possible lifted her knee into the demon's groin and sent him doubling over in pain. A quick uppercut, her fist filled with her holy energy made quick work of the foe.

She could feel her strength giving out on her, but knew she had to stay strong or she would not live to see tomorrow. She panted heavily, trying to catch her breath and brought her sword back up in front of her. The two demons smirked when they saw that she was tiring and holding her weapon a lot lower that previously. "Getting tired little priestess?" the wretched pseudo-leader teased her.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, giving the best Sesshoumaru glare that she could muster. The demon only grinned wider at this. "Don't worry little priestess, you can come with me and lay in my bed. I'll take good care of you." She felt the bile rise in her throat at his remark but kept her impassive façade.

With no warning, the two demons lunged for her from both sides. Kagome once again took up her sword against her enemies and did her best to ward them off. As much as she feared for her life, she was more afraid of the demons making their way to the village. She did not know what their intent was; only that it was malicious and deadly. She was finding her self torn between being happy that Takahiro had gone home early, for that meant he was safe, and being upset that she had no one to help her in this fight. If she were to die, then the small village which had been tucked away from the ravages of war and battle for so long would suffer at the hands of these beings.

Kagome lunged but the demon dodged her easily. The other that was behind her did not waste time in striking her back, but luckily only cut through her clothes and left a small scratch. He hit her firmly on the back of the head with the butt of his sword handle to try and provoke her more. However, the blow was enough to throw her off balance and she cringed when she felt her body hitting the cold ground and almost cried when she saw her sword being thrown away from her. It was like seeing her own fate flash before her eyes as she landed on her stomach with a 'thud'. She had fought bravely and strongly, but with no sword and at a disadvantage with being on the ground, it was hard to stay positive and believe that she would come out the victor.

It felt like an eternity as she lay there on her stomach, looking forlornly at her sword, before she was nudged with a hard foot and rolled over onto her back. She opened her eyes slowly to find both demons leaning over her with murder in their eyes. Her mind felt as if it were in a fog and running in slow motion. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Kagome was certain the demon above her was saying something but she could not hear him over the rushing of her blood.

The demon that had been the only one to speak to her at all clicked his tongue at her in mock disappointment. "Oh little priestess, I'm afraid that we've disarmed you." He nodded once at the other demon and soon her hands were over her head, her wrists being held by or pair of large hands. The leader, who was currently the bane of Kagome's existence, stood above her smugly with his sword pointed at her. He dragged the blade down her front, tearing little slits in her priestess garb and nicking her skin every now and then.

He finished his trail and brought the blade up to his mouth to taste the little bit of blood clinging to the razor sharp edge. "Mmm, your blood is very tasty little priestess. Is the rest of you as enjoyable, hm?" Kagome snarled at him and he laughed amusedly at her. "Quite the spitfire, aren't you?"

Living up to her new nickname, Kagome held back while he kneeled down at her side and brought his head in close before she effectively spit in his face. He seemed stunned at first but then to Kagome's dismay he began laughing again before he quickly straddled her hips and put all his weight down on her. "No doubt you will be very tasty!" he said while continuing to laugh. "I'll have my fun and then kill you! I don't think I could imagine a more pleasing day."

Kagome struggled to free her arms with no success then switched maneuvers and tried to buck off the one sitting on her. Again it was a failed attempt and Kagome felt her first bout of panic set in. "Get off of me!!!" she screamed at him. He brought his fingers down to caress her lips and Kagome bit him. Hard. Let it never be said that she had no outlet for her priestess powers for her teeth were quite effective.

"Fuck! You bitch! You just bit my fucking finger off!" To add dramatic effect, Kagome spit out the nub of his finger so that it hit him on the forehead before leveling him with a disgusted look.

"Can't say that you're all that tasty you bastard." She knew she had it coming, but it still didn't prepare her for the harsh backhand that landed on her cheek. The force made her teeth cut into her own lip and it was now bleeding freely. Kagome turned her head to look at him and closed her eyes once again in preparation for the anticipated second blow. It never hit.

She opened her tired eyes and the sight that met her made her want to cry in joy. A green whip of acid cut the demon straddling her in half, and a second crack of the same whip decapitated the one holding her arms. Kagome turned her head to where the whip had come from and saw Sesshoumaru standing a couple yards away from her with a dispassionate look on his face.

"Sesshou-"

"Get up and clean your self," the demon lord told her harshly. "When you have finished I expect you at your hut."

A quick sweep of his surroundings ensured him that there were no lingering threats and he then left Kagome lying in the clearing. He could not stop those words from coming out abrasively, he had been gone for less than a day and already the priestess had managed to get herself into trouble. The emotion that he had felt when he saw the lowly cur about to strike Kagome made his stomach twist. It was something he had felt for only one other person-Rin-and the ramifications that came with having those feelings were something that he was not sure he was prepared to deal with at the moment.

Kagome sighed and gathered her bearings to stand. As grateful as she was to Sesshoumaru, his aggressiveness towards her had thrown her off guard and she couldn't help but feel let down. She swayed a little on her feet, but was soon headed back towards the village. The horrible event still fresh in her mind made her wince, sending her tired muscles into agony. She could see the lights of the small fires in the village and her shoulders dropped wearily. The only thing she wanted to do now was sleep for the next three to five days and then maybe she would consider getting up.

Kagome saw a figure running towards her so she stopped to wait for it. Takahiro soon made it to her side and he looked her over quickly. "Kagome, are you okay? What happened? I ran into the demon lord and asked if he'd seen you and he told me _'she is alive'_ and that's all I could get out of him!"

Kagome smiled wearily at him but put her hands up pleadingly. "Takahiro please, I'm fine. I just had an accident, I'll be okay. I'd really just like to get to my hut, please don't think I'm being rude…"

"No, no of course! Take care of yourself." Kagome nodded and continued her way to her small home. Takahiro watched her leave from his place at the edge of the forest. He gulped and ran a hand through his hair as he watched her disappear behind the bamboo curtain blocking the entrance to her hut.

"Quite a fighter is she not?" a voice sounded from behind him. Takahiro nearly jumped out of his skin and turned around to face a figure clad in a white baboon pelt. "It seems you shall have work a little harder next time. Even with your strenuous training session she still managed to defeat the demons. Don't fail me again Takahiro. The next time you do will be your last."

Takahiro remained silent as he watched the figure in front of him disappear into thin air. Every time that…_thing_ left, it seemed to take another piece of his soul with him. "Next time," Takahiro said with a depreciating laugh. "The girl is too strong for the likes of Naraku to get the better of. The next time I may just find myself in an early grave."

With one last glance back at where Naraku had been, Takahiro returned to his own home. He wasn't sure when the next chance to kill the girl would present itself, so he had to be ready with a plan. Unfortunately for Takahiro, he was coming to realize that he was easily expendable. Once his usefulness was over _he _would be over; Naraku would see to that.

* * *

**_Thank you so much for reading! I know there wasn't any Sess/Kag action in this one, but we're getting there (sooner or later). I'm not the best at battle scenes, so I would like to know what you thought about it. Please feel free to review, it's always appreciated _**

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	20. Concentrate

_**Thank you all so much for the kind reviews! I really enjoy reading all of them, they are very encouraging! You guys are awesome!**_

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**_Thank you to Sunset Miko for being my beta, you rock!_**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY- CONCENTRATE

Kagome pushed aside the flap that covered the entrance to her small hut and walked inside slowly. Sesshoumaru was seated in his normal spot, but he was staring straight at her as she made her way to her bedroll. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and saw that he had yet to take his eyes off of her. He was looking at her with a cold intensity, and if she was not mistaken, a bit of perplexity as well. She sat her tired body on her bed and waited for him to say something.

There was a heavy silence that filled the hut at the two continued to stare at one another. Kagome was so tired that she really didn't care whether or not he decided to talk; all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep for the next week or so. When she decided to do just that, Sesshoumaru finally spoke up.

"You were careless."

Kagome continued to stare, but she could feel an angry bubble starting to swell within her. She took a couple of calming breaths before she said anything that she may have regretted. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"As soon as your training is complete for the day you are to return to the village, not dawdle in the clearing by yourself. It was foolish and you are lucky to be alive." His facial features never changed and he was still staring at her with detachment. Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome bit her bottom lip and looked towards the floor.

"Sesshoumaru…I'm-I didn't mean-"

"Do not presume that just because we shared a few intimate moments that I will take your excuses," he interrupted. "Your concentration is being hindered and I will no longer allow it." Without giving her a chance to reply, Sesshoumaru lifted him self from the ground and strode out of the small hut to distance himself from Kagome. He would still be supervising her training, but would be sure to remain nothing but platonic around the girl. She was having effects on him that no one should ever have, and apparently he was doing the same to her if her concentration was suffering.

Kagome stared at the doorway with an expression of combined hurt and fury on her face. She had done very well in her fight, and granted, if Sesshoumaru hadn't shown up when he did she might have been dead by now, but that didn't mean that she wasn't concentrating. She was outnumbered for god's sakes! Okay, so she probably shouldn't have lingered in the clearing by herself, but it wasn't like she was there much longer after Takahiro left.

"Pompous ass," she muttered to herself. She sighed and thought about going to take a bath, but her tired eyes made the decision for her when they closed and decided to stay that way for the rest of the night. She would deal with Sesshoumaru in the morning. The only thing that was important to her at the moment was catching up on her neglected sleep.

She didn't know where he went to sleep, but for the past couple nights Sesshoumaru had been avoiding her little hut like the plague. During the day he was no better. She would try and start conversations with him, only to get the cold shoulder. However, she knew that he was keeping rapt attention on her at all times because she could feel his eyes watching her throughout the day. If he was trying to help her concentrate, he wasn't doing a very good job.

Kagome found herself thinking about him more often than when he was actually on good terms with her. Even with his more persistent glares and haughty remarks, Kagome could not help but miss him even more when he didn't come into her hut. They used to actually talk—well, sort of. Now she was lucky if she got a small word of encouragement from him.

A sharp smack on the back of her hand brought Kagome out of her inner turmoil. "Ow! What was that for?"

"You're doing it again!" Megumi berated her while wagging a withered crooked finger in her face. "You need to stop thinking about that demon and start concentrating on your work! Just because you've been spending more time in the shrine the past couple days doesn't mean you're making more progress."

Kagome dropped her shoulders in defeat. "Yeah I know. I just…do you…want to have lunch with me?" she asked timidly.

Megumi drew back a little at the request. It dawned on her that the poor girl was probably lonely; the old priestess wasn't blind. She knew that Kagome and the demon had spent a lot of time together, but not in the last couple of days. It was probably a harsh blow to take, considering that he had been her only real friend here when he showed up. As much as she would have loved to join the girl in a meal, Megumi's time was already spoken for by a married couple in the village.

"I'm sorry girl, not today," the old priestess said regretfully.

"Oh…it's-it's okay," Kagome said as she waved a hand in front of her face in reassurance. "I know you're busy, maybe some other time though?" Kagome smiled half-heartedly as she saw Megumi nod.

"Okay, then I'll be back in a little bit," Kagome informed her. "Did you want to meet me at the same tree for target practice?"

"Yes girl, your aim's been a little off lately. We should probably work on that a bit." Kagome nodded and then took her leave of the shrine to head down towards the village for a bite to eat.

On cue, Kagome could feel the presence of Sesshoumaru watching her from afar. She shook her head sadly but vowed not to get worked up over it. If he wanted to be that way then she would let him. Far be it for her to ruin his reticent mood. Her steps quickened a bit in a poor attempt to escape his gaze. She only allowed her steps to slow when she reached the small food stand. With a quick order of a bowl of rice and some sweet dumplings Kagome then made her way to a bench under a nearby tree.

Kagome sat there, enjoying her lunch when she noticed a couple of village boys, not much younger than she, whispering to each other. She watched them carefully and discretely read their auras to determine their intent. She was relived when she read no malicious intent in them, but more so of embarrassment and hesitance. Kagome waited patiently for them to approach her and smiled when she saw one of the boys push the other towards her.

The two of them stood in front of her now and she looked up and smile at them. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked pleasantly.

The boy in the front looked down at his feet and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm-" he began in a slightly high pitched voice. He cleared his throat and then tried again, this time dropping his voice a couple of octaves. "I'm Makio and this is my brother Fuyuki."

"It's very nice to meat you. I'm Kago-"

"Yeah, we know who you are," Makio said shyly. "Look, um…we just wanted to apologize for everything. This town isn't used to outsiders and we all kinda acted out of haste." The two brothers dropped to their knees and bowed low, touching their heads to the ground. "Please forgive us priestess."

Kagome looked at them shocked, her mouth hanging open a bit. She snapped it shut and then quickly motioned for them to get up. "You guys thanks really, but I already have forgiven the village. Let's try and move on, shall we?" The two boys nodded and she gave them a bright smile that made them both blush madly.

"Would you two care to join me for lunch?" she asked them sweetly. They both puffed their chests out with male pride and nodded vigorously before fighting one another for the open seat next to her. Kagome stifled a giggle behind her hand at their antics. Finally it was Fuyuki who came out the victor and took the seat. He grinned proudly and cast a smug glance while Makio took a seat on the ground in front of her scowling.

Kagome blushed and shook her head and soon found herself in deep conversation with the brothers. She was finally meeting new people in the small town and it made her feel more like she was a member of the society and not just a temporary visitor and an outsider. Kagome asked the brothers questions about themselves to which they answered fully. So far the only real awkward question that they had asked her was 'where are you from' and she covered that with eased practice.

"So," Makio started while he leaned back on his hands, "do you have a suitor?"

Kagome's eyes widened at the question and soon a heavy blush overtook her face. What was she to tell them? She and Sesshoumaru had been close, yes, but they never went so far as to give a title to their "relationship". She remembered all the nice kisses and explorations that she had with him, but she also remembered how he had been acting the last couple days. She was at a total loss. "I…don't know," she answered honestly.

Makio and Fuyuki frowned at her answer before Makio spoke up again. "Do you want one?"

"Makio!"

"What?" Fuyuki darted his eyes quickly to the side and Makio followed his brother's gaze. Kagome was looking straight ahead of her at the demon that had joined their company. Both brothers stayed rooted to their spots, but fear swept over them as they took in Sesshoumaru's ever-emotionless face. The demon, although not violent, still scared them beyond all reason.

"Oh, hello Sesshoumaru," Kagome said innocently. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Sesshoumaru eyed the woman coolly. He would never admit the small surge of jealousy he felt when the two miscreants started hovering around her, especially not to her. However, he could always find a way to make the local village men realize no one, besides himself, was allowed to touch the priestess in any way. "A word," Sesshoumaru stated bluntly.

Kagome nodded and excused herself from the boys and followed Sesshoumaru's retreating figure to the edge of the forest. She waited patiently while he remained quiet, most likely trying to rile her a bit for his own perverse entertainment. "Sesshoumaru, I was having a nice conversation with them and I would like to get back to it before I have to train again."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her and her attitude. Since when did he become so lax in the way he allowed her to speak to him? "Priestess, I would have thought that you would be more particular in whom you allowed yourself to associate with. Uncouth males with raging libidos do not strike me as the most enjoyable company."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at Sesshoumaru. It was one thing to drag her away from her lunch, but quite another to insult her choice of companions. She didn't see _him_ offering to join her; in fact, he had done quite well in evading her for the past couple days. "I don't need your approval of who I talk to. Now if you'll excuse me…" Kagome turned to walk away when Sesshoumaru grabbed her roughly by her forearm and spun her around before placing a kiss to her lips.

He quite honestly didn't know what else to do to make those two nitwits see that she was off limits. Obviously just being an intimidating demon lord was not enough to encourage them to keep their filthy hands to themselves, if the pleased look in their eyes when Kagome was about to go back to them was anything to go by. So he did the next best thing; public displays of affection were not something that he partook in on a regular basis, but when the time called for it, he trusted his instincts.

Kagome was surprised at the sudden display of emotion coming from Sesshoumaru, but all too soon closed her eyes in bliss and allowed him to kiss her senseless. His soft, warm tongue played with hers and she allowed a breathy moan to escape her throat. He nipped at her bottom lip and Kagome opened further, deepening the contact. She wasn't sure what brought her out of her current state of mind, but soon she pushed back from him harshly and glared daggers at the demon lord.

"What do you think you're doing?! You can't just avoid me for two days and then kiss me like that! Just 'cause you're jealous doesn't mean that you can play with my emotions. Do me a favor and leave me alone like you've been doing if that's how you're going to act!" Kagome spun around quickly on her heels and strode off angrily from Sesshoumaru.

He clenched and unclenched his fists by his side. That did not go _exactly_ how he had expected. Straightening out his angry features, Sesshoumaru brought a hand to his hair and flicked it behind his shoulder before turning around and walking back into the forest. If Kagome was going to spend her time gallivanting around with the village boys, then he would take this time to get in some much needed exercise. It had been a while since he had run drills.

The two boys that had been sitting with her left quickly when Sesshoumaru kissed her, both feeling a little put out at their loss. So when Kagome came back to the bench to find them gone, her temper was fueled even more. She walked angrily back towards the village so she could just hurry up and get her target practice in with Megumi. The quicker that was over with, the sooner she could get her training with Takahiro and Sesshoumaru done. And the quicker she got that done, the sooner she could go back to her hut and brood like she wanted to.

Kagome walked up the small main street of the village and saw Takahiro working in the field. She caught his eye and waved, but frowned even further when he quickly looked away and went back to his work. Kagome concentrated on using her newfound skills to read his aura and felt that he was troubled and also felt guilty. For what, she had no clue, but she was in no mood for him to ignore her. Kagome stomped over to him and tapped him harshly on the shoulder. He visibly flinched and then turned around slowly to face her.

"H-hey Kagome. How are you?" Takahiro said nervously, clutching his rake to his chest.

Kagome eyed him up and down in suspicion. His aura seemed to worsen now that she stood so close to him; just what was he hiding? "I'm fine Takahiro, but…what seems to be troubling you? You've been ignoring me for a while now, and if it weren't for our training sessions I would probably never see you."

Takahiro stood torn as to what to do. It was obvious she knew something was going on, but he couldn't very well tell her the truth. How do you calmly break it to someone that you're trying to kill them in order to keep your newly resurrected wife? The answer: you don't. Instead, he decided to lie through his teeth and pray that she believes you. "I'm sorry Kagome. It's just that…well, I've uh, met someone."

Kagome's face lit up and she smile brightly at him. "That's fantastic Takahiro! Why would you be upset about that? Unless, you're not happy with her?"

"No, no that's not it at all it's just that…umm…Guilty! I feel guilty because ever since you came here I've been attracted to you and now that I have someone I shouldn't be thinking those thoughts," Takahiro spouted out. He gave himself a mental pat on the back at the not entirely untrue lie. When he saw the look on Kagome's face, he knew that he had gotten away with it too. Her face was bright red and she was biting her lip in thought.

"Wow, Takahiro…I'm sorry I interrupted your work. I'll leave you alone now." Kagome turned tail and all but ran from the field in an attempt to flee the awkward situation. There was no way she was going to tell Sesshoumaru about that little conversation; she'd be short one instructor.

Takahiro breathed a deep sigh of relief at seeing her leave. He wasn't sure when he became such a skilled liar, but nonetheless he was glad at that point in time that he was. He still had yet to think of another plan to try and dispose of her, but with Naraku breathing down his neck it seemed he would have to think of one soon. The whole ordeal was wreaking havoc on his moods. A few of his fellow workers had noticed the dark circles under his eyes and found that he was now easy to anger. He often sat up late at night wondering if he were to run away, if Naraku would be able to find him. But he couldn't take that chance; not when he knew that his dear wife was connected to the bastard somehow. The only way to keep his wife was to kill Kagome.

May the god's have mercy on his soul.

* * *

Still trudging on, Inuyasha and the group made their way closer to the small village. It was hard to hide the excitement they all felt at the prospect of seeing their friend again; it seemed that just thinking of her brought a smile to everyone's faces, except Kikyo of course. While there was still a bit of animosity between the undead priestess and the rest of the group, save Inuyasha, the atmosphere had definitely brightened.

Sango had taken to ignoring Kikyo as much as she could. She acted civil around her but there was just no denying the uncomfortable feeling that came with being around a person who remained forever emotionless and cold. The only time that Kikyo seemed even remotely happy was when it was just her and Inuyasha. Being that the entire group did nothing but travel together those times were few and far between.

"Are we there yet?" Shippou asked from his perch atop Miroku's shoulder.

Inuyasha turned to look at the young fox from over his shoulder, a twitch making its way in his eye. "For the last time runt, we're getting close. The surroundings are familiar so I think we're only a couple days away. Now quit asking." Inuyasha turned back around and continued on his way. Shippou had asked him the very same question for the last few hours and it was grating on his last nerve. While they enjoyed the peaceful time they were getting, there was nothing like a good battle to loosen up tight muscles and relieve stress and tension.

Shippou pouted and sunk lower onto Miroku's shoulder. "I miss Kagome," he said forlornly.

Miroku gave him a reassuring smile and patted the kit on the head. "There, there Shippou. We'll see Kagome very soon and I'm sure Inuyasha won't argue with staying for a few days," he said a bit louder than necessary to ensure the half-demon heard him. Inuyasha 'Feh'd' and Miroku smiled at him. "You see?"

"I guess. I just wish it didn't take so long to get there. I didn't realize we'd traveled so far," Shippou said.

Both Miroku and Sango nodded their heads to that statement. Inuyasha had pushed them quite a long ways, but it was understandable. While Naraku lay dormant it was a good idea to try and find any lead regarding his location that they could. It just so happened that their leads carried them further south then they had intended to go; otherwise their visit to Kagome wouldn't have been put off for so long.

Shippou sighed again and Miroku shrugged his shoulder to get the young fox's attention. When Shippou looked at Miroku curiously, the monk tilted his head towards Inuyasha and winked. Shippou's eyes took on a mischievous gleam and he cleared his throat.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, whadda ya want?" Inuyasha replied gruffly.

"…Are we there yet?"

* * *

Kagome rolled her neck making it give a satisfying pop and stretched her arms over her head. Perhaps it had was the mood she'd been in, or maybe she was just getting better at shooting, but today's target practice had gone extremely well and she had to commend herself. She had only missed two targets, a new record for her, and Megumi even congratulated her on a successful day. All-in-all she was feeling much better than she had been earlier so she set out to find Sesshoumaru and try, yet again, to start some semblance of conversation with him.

She walked quietly through the serene forest, taking in the sounds of the chirping birds and the slight rustling of the leaves as a soft breeze played through them. She stopped for a moment to close her eyes and revel in the silence that always seemed to accompany the feudal era. She was so used to traveling back and forth through time that she sometimes took for granted the quiet that could be found only here. Kagome took in a couple of deep, relaxing breaths and tilted her head back to the sky. A soft grunting from a distance away pulled her from her meditative position and she decided to see what it was.

Upon walking a little further, Kagome came upon what had to have been the most beautiful sight known to man. In front of her, a few yards away, Sesshoumaru was running through what could only be his own training drills. Completely and utterly bare from the waist up, a light sheen of sweat played across his skin as he maneuvered his body gracefully in his exercise.

Not wanting to interrupt this perfect sight, Kagome quickly ducked behind a bush and placed a hand upon her fluttering heart. It had to have been a sin to see that. She supposed that not many people were privy to watching the demon lord run drills, for he was always the pinnacle of calmness and sustainability. For him to have even the slightest bit of sweat on his sculpted body meant that he had been working very hard for quite some time now.

'_I should leave,'_ Kagome thought in an effort to move her feet. _'I should definitely leave and let him practice. Yup. I really should just walk away and find something else to do…after I take one more peek.'_

Kagome turned around and looked for the best place to watch him without being caught. With some careful manipulation of branches in the bush, she stuck her head in as far as she could and watched Sesshoumaru continued his workout. His face held a look of pure concentration as his muscles clenched and unclenched under taught skin. Kagome felt her throat go dry and she swallowed hard. He flexed the muscles in his arms as he lazily swung his sword around him and if Kagome didn't know any better, she would have thought he did that just to show off for her. Her fingers twitched as she watched as he turned and graced her with a wonderful view of his strong back and rear. For a moment she wanted to take a page out of Miroku's book and squeeze that sculpted butt of his in both her hands.

Giving herself a mental shake, Kagome willed her self to look away and decided that she had been a voyeur long enough. She took a step back to remove her head from the bush when she came to an abrupt stop. Her eyes widened a bit and then she tried once again to move backward without success. A bit frantic now, she tugged continuously to try and dislodge her head from the bush, only to find that she was no closer to getting out than she was on the first attempt. A soft whimper escaped her as she felt a tightening around her neck that conveyed to her that her necklace had become tangled within the small branches of the bush, thus restricting her movement.

'_Think think think, come on Kagome, how are you gonna get out of this?'_ she questioned herself. _'Shit!'_

She tried tugging a few more times and even tried detangling it with her hands, but found that she couldn't see well enough to successfully free herself. During her struggles she failed to notice the lack of a demon lord in the small clearing where he once was. Instead he now had an entertaining view of her bottom sticking up in the air and continued to watch her fruitless struggles to free herself. For a few minutes he did nothing but admire the scenery until he could no longer contain his amusement. With a deadpan voice he finally made his presence known.

"May I inquire priestess, as to why you have your head in a bush?"

Kagome yelped a little and stiffened in surprise at the sound of his voice. She looked quickly in front of her to where she had seen him running drills and confirmed he was no longer there, but instead standing right next to her. "I, um…was…look…I los-lost something! My earring! I lost my earring and I was…looking for it?" she attempted to lie.

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms, though she couldn't see the gesture and he spoke again. "Hn, is that so?"

"Yes, that is so," Kagome stated assuredly.

"I see. Priestess, I have been in your company for months and I have yet to see you wear earrings. In fact, I do not believe you have _ever_ worn earrings."

"Really? Oh…right then. Um…the bush…smells nice?"

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow, and although Kagome could not see him, she knew exactly what he was doing. She heaved a great sigh and relented. "Alright fine! I'm stuck, okay?! Now are you going to help me out or not?"

"This Sesshoumaru thinks not. You did interrupt my training."

"You've got to be kidding me?! You _are_ kidding, right...Sesshoumaru?"

He didn't answer her, but instead walked towards a nearby tree and leaned back against it. He rather enjoyed seeing her like this and was in no hurry to remedy her situation. Besides, she needed to learn a lesson for being out in the clearing all by her self the other day. If it weren't for him she would no longer be alive and if she wasn't going to take her safety seriously then why not let her suffer for a bit?

Kagome whimpered again and renewed her efforts against the damnable bush. She supposed it served her right for being a peeping Tom, but she just couldn't help herself! "Bastard, I can't believe he left me here," she grumbled to herself.

"Speaking to yourself is not going to help you out of your predicament," Sesshoumaru stated blandly.

She squeaked and wiggled around more to get out. "I can't believe you're not going to help me. You really are a jerk."

Sesshoumaru frowned a little as he watched her wiggle around to free herself. Perhaps he should have thought this through more thoroughly before sitting back and watching her. Memories of that backside pressed firmly against him during the massage came flooding back to him and he shut his eyes to try and remove the vision from his sight. Kagome gave off a very impressive, but nonetheless human, growl of aggravation and Sesshoumaru had just about as much as he could handle.

Quicker than a few blinks of the eye he called upon his poison whip and reduced the bush around Kagome's head to mulch. With a surprised yelp, Kagome fell forward to the ground at the sudden loss of support. Sesshoumaru stood back and watched as she stood up and dusted herself off before turning around and glaring at him. However, she did not look the least bit threatening with twigs and leaves strewn about in her hair and it made the entire debacle that much more amusing. A small quirk of his lips was the only indicator that he had fully enjoyed himself.

"You!" Kagome yelled while pointing at him. "This is all _your_ fault!"

Sesshoumaru raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

"If you hadn't…if you'd just…gah! I'm going to take a bath, I know you're going to follow behind, but don't you even _think_ about coming anywhere near me!" With that, Kagome stomped off in the direction of the distant hot spring, leaving Sesshoumaru to trail behind her.

Any other time he would not allow someone to even _think_ about telling him what to do, but he had obtained a great deal of amusement from Kagome's embarrassing mishap that he decided to let her have this one. He shook his head ever so slightly at his thoughts. The priestess was far too liberated in her attitude towards him and he did nothing but allow it. She was definitely not a good influence on his ego. He would be sure to teach her how to properly respect a person of his station…just not now. Maybe tomorrow when she wasn't so riled up.

* * *

_**The moment you've been waiting for comes up in the next chapter! That's right, Inuyasha finds out! Please feel free to review and let me know what you think, it's always appreciated!**_

* * *


	21. No Sharing

**_Hello readers! Thank you so much for the reviews, I want you all to know that they are greatly appreciated and make my day! So thank you very much to those of you who have taken the time out to do so!_**

**_Special thanks to Sunset Miko for being my beta!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE- NO SHARING

Another week of training had come and gone and Sesshoumaru was more than impressed with the progress that Kagome was making using a sword. Her training, added to her ever growing control of her priestess abilities thanks to the old priestess, would soon be a force to be reckoned with; Naraku wouldn't know what hit him. Watching Kagome train was becoming almost as tedious for Sesshoumaru as Kagome's training was becoming for her. Takahiro had stepped up the practices a notch by adding to it a sort of competition. Three hits equaled a win now, and the young priestess was more than happy to have the added competition to the practices. She always was the competitive type, so this only nurtured her fighting spirit.

Sesshoumaru enjoyed watching her immensely; so much so that he had to often remind himself to keep his emotions in check, lest he tackle her to the ground and take her whether Takahiro was around or not. She was graceful when she swung a sword, though that indeed was not natural; it came with a lot of practice for her. Her fighting style was already a lot more refined than that of his half-brother and her face did not betray her emotions as she wielded the blade.

He found it increasingly difficult to not become hypnotized by the way she moved. Since he had made his decision to distance himself from her, Kagome had shown a bit more improvement, though it had been extremely hard for him to try and keep his traitorous hands from touching her when they were close. She had a smell that was not overwhelming like most of the humans in this time. It was a little bit sweet and at times became tangy, but all-in-all it was distinctly her. The soft curves of her body often captured his attention and he would find him self giving her heated glances when every now and then she would look over at him and blush.

Sesshoumaru shook his head of those thoughts. Although he could tell that Kagome was often turned on by him, he did not fail to notice that she was holding herself back from acting on her baser impulses as he was. Ever since the 'bush incident' as Kagome had taken to calling it, she had been a little more distant from him. Sesshoumaru did not know if it was simply because she was embarrassed by the whole thing, or if she had finally come to terms with the fact that he was a distraction for her and acknowledged that it was helpful for him not to be around her.

Still, it was not hard to feel the conflict that surrounded them when they were close to one another, or even more so when they were alone together. Both could not help thinking about the few times they had been intimate; stolen kisses, heavy petting, and peeks at each other from the corners of their eyes when they thought the other was not looking. Sesshoumaru was rather irritated with himself for not being able to focus on the task at hand: making sure she was properly trained for the battle to come between Naraku and his enemies. Instead, he found his mind wandering to her and her soft skin and the way she lightly moaned his name in her sleep when she thought that he was away. That was when his iron-clad will power came in handy the most. There were nights that he stood so close to her that he could feel her breath upon his face. Sure he felt ridiculous when doing so, but this woman had taken over his life! It was normal to be intrigued over something like that. Besides, he was Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands; he could do whatever he wanted. Shouting from Kagome brought him out of his musings.

"Oh come on Takahiro that was totally a hit!" Kagome yelled in the background. Sesshoumaru looked over at her and noticed she had her hands on her hips and was looking rather put out. Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow at her; she was even more attractive when she was riled up.

"It was not a hit; you missed me by inches," Takahiro replied to the stubborn woman while he ran his hand across his face. His head was aching and he was extremely tired because of the lack of sleep he had been getting since Naraku's last 'visit'. Kagome yelling at him was not good for his already frayed nerves. He could feel the tugging of the thin rope that kept him from losing his temper slowly being shredded.

"Oh it was too and you know it! And I think you know what that means, Takahiro. It means that the student has now become the teacher grasshopper," Kagome taunted a rather annoyed Takahiro. He had become more and more on edge ever since the demon lord had been observing his and Kagome's sword exercises. How was he supposed to fulfill his end of the bargain with Naraku if that demon never left her side?! Takahiro pinched the bridge of his nose; Kagome was now doing a ridiculous little happy dance in her spot and it was grating on his already frazzled nerves. He had yet to think of another way to get rid of her and he felt that his time was running short.

"I won! I won! I won! I won! I-"

Finally, the last shreds of his sanity gave way and Takahiro exploded. "It was NOT a HIT!!!" Takahiro yelled at her, successfully ending her chant. Kagome took a step back in surprise at the anger she heard in Takahiro's voice. He had never raised his voice to her and it shocked her even further when he threw the sword towards her embedding it at the ground just at her feet. Immediately Sesshoumaru was in front of Kagome protectively, glaring at Takahiro with an intensity that would send any upper level demon running with their tail between their legs.

"Explain yourself or suffer the consequences," Sesshoumaru demanded threateningly. How dare this man raise his voice to Kagome?! And then to throw his sword towards her…it was inexcusable! If he had been any less of a demon he would have simply beheaded the urchin where he stood. Instead, Sesshoumaru watched calculatingly as the farmer-turned-trainer gulped and took a few steps backwards to put some distance in between them. He calmly awaited Takahiro's response, but narrowed his eyes when no such answer was forthcoming.

"This Sesshoumaru will not ask again. Now…explain. Is there a problem?" he asked darkly, narrowing his eyes to slits.

Takahiro cleared his throat while his whole body shook uncontrollably where he stood. If he had been a lesser man he more than likely would have fainted at the feral sight of the demon lord protecting Kagome. Takahiro damned his big mouth and prayed to every god that would listen to him anymore that he would leave this training session with all of his body parts in tact. "Uh…n-n-n-no, there's no p-p-p-p-problem. She…she just didn't hit me like she thought, that's all and I um…"

"That tear in your shirt and the scratch on your chest says otherwise," Sesshoumaru provided idly. Takahiro looked down to his chest to find that there was indeed a scratch on his now partially bare chest. It was not a big gash, but it was still bleeding a little and Takahiro gulped down the bile that rose into his throat at the thought of dismemberment. Namely his own impending.

"So-so there is," he laughed nervously. He looked quickly back and forth between the young priestess and the demon before he bowed low to them in an attempt to apologize for his outburst. The demon lord looked down his nose at the prostrating man who was shaking in his skin with disgust. He was spouting out inane apologies while keeping his forehead firmly pressed the ground.

Sesshoumaru sneered at the lowly cur prostrating himself on the ground. _'Useless,'_ he thought scathingly. This human was weak and loathsome and he no longer had time to deal with him. Kagome had proven that she was no longer in need of a teacher, only a sparring partner, a position which he would gladly fill. Sesshoumaru brought himself up to full height and regarded Takahiro one last time before handing out his punishment.

"You are dismissed," Sesshoumaru said before turning away from him to face Kagome. He looked over his shoulder at Takahiro and added as an afterthought, "Permanently." He then turned back around to look at Kagome once again. She had a questioning look on her face but said nothing as Sesshoumaru brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. Kagome smiled and blushed at the unexpected contact and soon forgot all about her small victory over Takahiro.

Takahiro paled at his discharge as Kagome's instructor; how was he supposed to kill the girl if he was no longer around her? His training sessions with her were the most opportunistic times for him to do so, so that it would look like an accident. Now what was he to do? Naraku would surely not be happy about this and would no doubt take his wife and _life _away from him. He couldn't let that happen, not when he just got her back; not when they were finally starting to become the family they should have always been.

By any means necessary he would find a way to appease Naraku so that his wife could stay with him. Takahiro strengthened his resolve and ducked away from the couple to go back to his home, slapping a hand across the back of his neck at a slight stinging there. He would need a plan of action; perhaps a way to draw the demon away from Kagome, even if it was just for a moment. He did not notice that reality was slowly starting to dissolve due to his quickly disintegrating mind and that his whole life was being taken over by thoughts of evil. With a final glance back at where he had left Sesshoumaru and Kagome, Takahiro clenched his fist in rage.

* * *

Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, who had 'come to her rescue', with a bit of embarrassment. Once again he had managed to disorient her with a simple touch of his hand. She was scared and nervous about the feelings she held for the demon lord that seemed to have grown in her so quickly. Not even half a year ago she thought herself to be head over heels for Inuyasha, but all of that changed with just a simple innocent kiss from Sesshoumaru and she all but forgot her meager teenage crush on the half-demon. Sesshoumaru was showing a side of him that Kagome could guess he had never shown anyone else before. He was attentive, caring, and _passionate _when it came to her. She wanted to be mad at him for his previous dismissal of her and her feelings, but the impassioned look in his eyes quashed all her irritation.

Kagome shivered as she remembered their last little make-out session that had occurred over a week ago, before the demon lord had taken it upon him self to keep his distance from her. Sesshoumaru smirked when he saw the far away look in her eyes and the small shiver that crawled up her spine and instantly knew what she was thinking of. Perhaps after so long, he should give a repeat performance? He was never one to deny himself something he wanted, and watching Kagome fight today had heated his blood.

If anything he enjoyed the way she responded to him whenever they were close. He knew that Kagome, like himself, was uncertain of what they felt for one another; it was a new learning experience for both of them and he was now more than happy to teach her things while he learned as well. He gazed at her uninhibitedly, giving her a slow once over in his perusal. She had a light sheen of sweat on her brow from her workout, and the irony did not escape Sesshoumaru that the entire 'bush incident' was brought on by _her_ watching _him_ while he worked out. My how the tides have turned.

Kagome couldn't hide her anticipation whenever Sesshoumaru looked at her like that. It made butterflies flutter in her stomach and caused a pressure to build in her lower abdomen. She instinctively closed her eyes as Sesshoumaru's head leaned forward towards hers and she licked her dry lips an instant before their mouths met. This not being the first time they'd kissed, she let her inhibitions fly out the door and threw her arms around his neck to steady her self and allowed reality to melt away.

Their kiss started slow and sensual and it made Kagome tingle all over her body which was now pressed firmly against Sesshoumaru. She could feel him walking her backwards slowly as to not let her lose her balance and soon she felt the rough bark of a nearby tree against her back. She bit back a moan when he ground his hips against her and she unconsciously kissed him harder at the pleasure.

The entire week without him showing an ounce of emotion towards her had wreaked havoc on her mind. She missed being so close to him, yet she was annoyed that he _alone_ decided what their relationship was to be and how much time they were going to spend together. Sesshoumaru wasn't the only one confused about the feelings that came forth when they were near. However, unlike him she was an open book and displayed her emotions outwardly while he was aloof and secretive. She halted her thoughts when Sesshoumaru roughly broke the kiss and brought his mouth next to her ear.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked her in a deep voice that sounded almost on the verge of confused panic. He could feel her hot breath against his own ear as she panted, trying to control her breathing and it made him close his eyes at the wonderful sensation.

Kagome heard the almost desperate sound in his voice and it confused her. "What do you mean?" she quietly whispered to him still panting a little from their kiss.

"You…you are everything I am supposed to despise: mortal…female…human—a priestess. A human _priestess_!" Sesshoumaru said almost as if it was the first time he considered her as such. He pushed back from her to keep himself at arms length and took notice of the confusion in her eyes, but continued anyway. "You are clumsy, unrefined-"

Taken aback, Kagome quickly interrupted him. "Oh yeah? Well you're selfish and pigheaded!" she said, coming to her own defense. What was his problem anyway?! One second they were lip-locked and the next he was tossing her insults. Well two could play at that game!

"You are foolish and mouthy-" Sesshoumaru continued as he pushed away fully from her now. He could see the anger brimming in her eyes and her face began to turn red with her pent up emotions.

"Well you're arrogant and an ass!" Kagome declared putting her hands on her hips to emphasize her words.

"You are brash and quick-tempered-" he continued in a bored monotonous fashion.

"You're cold hearted and self-absorbed!"

"You are hard headed and over bearing."

"Well you're egotistical and…and an ass!" Kagome spat out. She immediately flinched at her own insult because she had not been able to think of something else to call him.

Sesshoumaru caught the slip up and haughtily raised his eyebrow at her and she huffed, narrowing her eyes at him in determination. "This Sesshoumaru believes you have already said that."

Kagome pursed her lips at his arrogance and did not miss the minute straightening of his back at his ability to out-insult her. "And that's another thing; what's with the whole 'this Sesshoumaru' obsession? Don't you know that it's weird talking in third person? You obviously—mmmpff!"

Whatever words Kagome was going to say were effectively silenced by Sesshoumaru's lips on her own. His kiss was much more intense than it had been previously and against her earlier indignation she welcomed the wonderful sensations that he brought upon her.

He just couldn't help himself; she looked stunning standing there with her face a light shade of red brought on by her anger. That picture would forever stay in his mind. Kagome was once again backed up against the tree as Sesshoumaru pressed his body against hers, effectively pinning her.

Her hands roamed up and down his back while their tongues met and danced. He kissed her hard trying to take in as much as he could of her unique flavor that skirted across his senses. Her soft lips were inviting and he sucked gently on her bottom lip while moving his hands from resting on the tree to her curvy waist. An entire week of not touching her and hardly speaking to her had affected him more than he cared to admit. When she slept at night he kept silent vigil near her, doing nothing but looking at her to try and gain some sort of understanding as to why she, of all people, would capture his interest so.

Sesshoumaru broke from her mouth to kiss his way down her jaw to her neck. Kagome tilted her head back for him and brought her hands up his back to tangle in his hair. She gasped as he nipped his way down her throat and he moved his hands up and down her sides. He left a trail of kisses along her collarbone before moving up towards her ear.

"_This_ is what you are doing to me," Sesshoumaru breathed out huskily while grinding against her slowly. Kagome closed her eyes and a soft 'mmm' escaped her. If ever she needed confirmation that he found her just as desirable as she found him, the hardened bulge in his pants was it. His hands found their way underneath her shirt and made a slow trail up her stomach to just underneath her breasts. He felt along the edge of the cloth that was binding her and slipped his fingers beneath it. He worked his hands underneath the thin fabric of her bra and gently palmed her breasts while sucking on the exposed flesh of her neck. Her hot breath tickled the hairs on his neck and he sucked a little harder on her skin when he felt her nibble lightly on his ear.

Her legs threatened to give out on her as she was enveloped in an overwhelmingly warm sensation. Sesshoumaru was taken over by the wonderful feelings her beautiful body and soft moans and sighs were giving him. He dropped one of his hands to lift her leg upon his hip so that he could press closer to the woman that had been invading his every thought for so long. The area they were in was filled with silence save for their soft moans and groans. A gentle breeze caressed their heated skin and sent delicious shivers over them. Kagome's hands roamed over Sesshoumaru's form and she delighted in the way his muscles twitched under her touch.

Kagome soon had to use her hands to steady herself on the tree behind her. Her innocent body was engulfed with desire beyond all reason and she let herself go enough to moan his name. She felt more than heard him growl low in his chest in approval to her recognition of him. Kagome placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed up a little to wrap her other leg around his waist and Sesshoumaru stepped closer to her so that she was trapped tightly between his body and the tree. Kagome then held his face in her palms while Sesshoumaru's hands found purchase on her legs just under her rear.

The woman in his arms had made his emotions run rampant for the first time in many, many years. She was what he had been known to despise and it was not without confusion on his part that he held her so passionately and allowed her to explore his body with her nimble hands. They were both lost in the sensual feelings that their heated touches and kisses had brought forth and the world around them soon became insignificant.

* * *

Sango sighed happily at the sight of a few wisps of smoke that came from the small village in the valley and then patted Kirara on the side as an indication for her to drop altitude. The group had been traveling at a calm but steady pace for the last few weeks in order to reach their friend that had been far north from where they had started, and now it looked as though they were finally going to get to see her.

"Inuyasha, I can see the valley, it's just a little ways ahead!" Sango called to the half-demon. Inuyasha looked up to Sango and nodded in understanding. The rest of his friends had decided to surprise Kagome so that meant they would be walking, instead of zipping through the trees, the rest of the way. He came to a stop and eased Kikyo off of his back reluctantly; he had really been enjoying the close contact with her since it didn't really happen much.

The three occupants atop Kirara all got off of her and the fire cat transformed into her smaller form before jumping onto Sango's shoulder; it was someone else's turn to be the carrier. Shippou stretched and yawned and Miroku popped a few bones in his back. Soon everyone was ready to continue on to the village that was practically in sight.

"I can't wait to see Kagome! Do you think she misses us?" Shippou asked excitedly. Sango smiled and nodded her head in the affirmative.

"I believe she does Shippou; I can't wait to see her either," the demon slayer told him with no small amount of anticipation etched in her voice. They all walked in companionable silence towards the village, taking in the vaguely familiar sights that they hadn't seen in a few months. Sango suddenly thought of something and leaned over to whisper in Miroku's ear.

"Miroku? What do you think Kagome will say when she sees that Kikyo is traveling with us?" she asked him quietly.

Miroku sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, I've been wondering that myself for quite some time now. Worst case scenario: she'll think that we don't need her anymore since we have Kikyo to guide us to the Shikon jewel fragments."

Miroku took a long deep breath as he trained his eyes on the couple walking ahead of them. He frowned a little and continued with his thoughts. "That and the fact that Kikyo and Inuyasha have been pretty close during our travels; we may have a very hurt friend to deal with. I can only hope that she doesn't come to the conclusion that we no longer need her assistance. We'll always need and welcome her with us," Miroku said, sharing his thoughts.

Sango nodded in agreement with Miroku's insight. Kagome was their friend, their very best friend. She was the one that pulled them all together and gave them hope and showed them that there _was_ something to live for amid all the death and destruction. If it wasn't for Kagome, Sango would have never met Miroku. The demon slayer smiled lightly and blushed at that thought. One day, after they defeated Naraku, she and Miroku would share a life together. None of it would have even seemed possible without Kagome's help. Miroku saw the smile and blush adorning Sango's face and held him self back from doing the same. He wasn't exactly sure what she was thinking about, but he had a pretty good idea.

The group continued their journey into the valley towards the small village. Everything looked to be in order, putting some of their uneasiness aside about arriving to a pile of rubble. They could now clearly see the smoke rising from some of the huts and could make out the small forms of people walking around walking around in the distance.

Remembering the less-than-hospitable welcome they'd received the first time they entered the village, the group readied themselves a bit for any sort of confrontation. To the untrained eye they had not moved a muscle, but to the seasoned warrior, one could clearly note the tightening of grips around chosen weapons and the stiffening of their backs. They were prepared to defend themselves if necessary.

"I don't know how Kagome could stay in this village with these people. They gave me the creeps when we were here last," Shippou said as he buried himself a little deeper in Sango's hair. No one commented on that, but each was silently agreeing with the small fox demon.

As they entered the town they were relieved and surprised to see that there was no open hostility towards them. In fact, more than a few villagers had even taken the time out to stop what they were doing and wave at the visitors.

"Kagome just has that effect on people," Miroku said with a shrug in an effort to explain the small town's newfound friendliness. They continued their trek towards the shrine, it being the last place they saw Kagome before they left her for her training. Before they could reach it though, a man walked up to them and bowed in greeting.

"You are the priestess Kagome's friends that accompanied her here, are you not?" the man asked them.

"Yeah we are," Inuyasha spoke up. "What of it?" he added as he crossed his arms over his chest. Kikyo placed a hand on his arm and he instantly relaxed. He looked over at her and gave her a small smile of appreciation and then turned his attention back to the man in front of them. The small action did not go unnoticed by Sango and Miroku and they shifted uneasily, thinking of their earlier conversation.

"Um, my name's Takahiro. I just thought you'd like to know that she's not in her hut right now; she's in a clearing in that direction," Takahiro informed them while pointing to where he had left Kagome and the demon. The group said their thanks and headed towards their friend.

Takahiro couldn't believe his luck! These people would surely provide the distraction of the demon lord that he needed to get to Kagome! With so many people wandering around in her group, he would no doubt get the opportunity to be rid of the young priestess finally. Takahiro clasped his hands together tightly in front of his face and grinned wickedly. No one would take his wife from him… no one.

The small band of warriors made their way through the surrounding woods in search of their friends. Sango and Miroku looked towards Inuyasha who was now walking very close to Kikyo and was holding her hand tightly as if she would soon vanish. In Kikyo's case she just might; there was no telling what went through her mind. They didn't miss the way Inuyasha would look longingly over at the undead priestess every now and then and couldn't help the worry that seeped through them when they thought of how Kagome was going to take this.

"Hopefully she won't be too broken up about it," Sango leaned in to whisper to Miroku as if they had been sharing each other's thoughts.

The priest shook his head a little but his steps faltered as he stared straight ahead of them. "Somehow I don't think she will be," Miroku answered seriously.

Sango raised an eyebrow at him. "What makes you so sure?"

Miroku pointed to a spot away from them and Sango followed his silent command to look. What she saw made her jaw drop towards the forest floor and caused her trip over her own feet.

There, pushed up against a tree with her legs wrapped tightly around the dreaded demon lord's waist was none other than their friend. The two were pressed so closely together that no sunlight was able to be seen between them. Lord Sesshoumaru's hands were groping Kagome's breasts as her own hands were running across his chest, back, and anywhere else she could think to put them. There was some obvious grinding motions going on between them and the demons slayer blushed a bright red at the thought that those motions would be better put to use in a bedroom.

Sango quickly covered Shippou's eyes and then glared at Miroku who had a lecherous grin plastered on his face. His shoulders were bouncing up and down as he tried to contain his mirth at the sight before him and the more than pissed of half-demon that stood gaping with his mouth open. Said half-demon's grip tightened excessively around Kikyo's hand and her face contorted minutely with pain that went unnoticed by everyone.

"Ka-gome?" Inuyasha asked disbelievingly as his feet finally came to a stop.

"Wha…wha…" the half-demon stuttered before once again finding his voice.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

* * *

**_Thank you all so much for reading! Please feel free to review and let me know your thoughts on the chapter and perhaps even what's to come _**

* * *


	22. Jealousy

**_Hello once again readers! I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out, but my grandma recently had hip surgery so I was helping her recuperate. Thank you so much for being patient with me, I have been working tirelessly on this chapter to get it out!_**

**_Thank you so much for the great reviews, you guys are awesome! Seriously, I cannot convey the awesomeness that is you, the readers_**

**_And a special thank you to Sunset Miko for encouraging me to keep going; couldn't have done it without you!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

**-- CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO- JEALOUSY --**

Silence rang throughout the clearing following Inuyasha's earsplitting shriek and Kagome closed her eyes tightly while she willed herself to become a part of the tree that she was currently trapped against by the still silent Sesshoumaru. She could feel her entire body heat up in embarrassment as she realized how her situation must look to everyone and tried once more to make the ground open up and swallow her.

No such luck.

She was still pinned in a compromising position and her friends were still in various stages of shock and awe with their mouths hanging open. Summoning up her strongest 'I'm-not-currently-pressed-against-Inuyasha's-hated-older-half-brother-so-what-are-you-staring-at?' voice, Kagome spoke.

"H-hey guys. Whatcha doin' here…unannounced?"

Still no reaction. Inuyasha had taken to glaring daggers at Sesshoumaru and the demon lord raised a single eyebrow at him. "Little brother, it is impolite to stare."

Inuyasha snarled and Sesshoumaru allowed a small smirk to tug at his lips as he stared into the half-demon's furious golden eyes. The demon lord, none too subtly, allowed his hand to trail lazily over the length of Kagome's leg, which caused her to shiver involuntarily. When he reached his goal, he gave Kagome's bottom a nice squeeze which caused her eyes to grow wide.

Seeing this, Inuyasha gave a ferocious growl and unsheathed his sword. "You have one second to get off of Kagome before I shove Tessaiga down your throat, you prick!"

Sesshoumaru lightly scoffed at his younger half-brother's threat. "You could try half-breed, but you will fail."

Kagome watched Inuyasha's grip tighten even further around the hilt of his sword. His eyes narrowed and faint snarl crept over his lips as he continued to stare down his brother. Her eyes widened and she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the half-demon lift his sword above his head.

"You asked for it ya bastard!" Inuyasha yelled crudely.

Kagome gasped and instinctively tightened her grip on Sesshoumaru's shoulders when she saw the familiar words of Inuyasha's attack being formed on his lips. Without thinking twice Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs, "SIT BOY!" The call successfully rendered Inuyasha incapacitated, though it was almost unnecessary seeing as how Sesshoumaru had taken flight with her when he saw Inuyasha raise his sword.

The demon lord set them down in front of Sango and Miroku and Kagome turned furious eyes to Inuyasha who was currently lifting himself from his crater.

"Inuyasha just what in the hell were you thinking?! You could have really hurt us!" Kagome berated at him.

The half-demon sputtered a little bit while he continued to crawl out of the hole but soon was upright and glaring right back at her with his arms crossed over his chest. "Us? Feh! I wasn't going to actually hit _you_! I was aiming for _him_!"

"Fool," Sesshoumaru said coolly. "You wield your sword as if it were a stick."

"Just shut the hell up Sesshoumaru! If you woulda just got off'a her I wouldn't have had to do it!"

"And why would _this_ Sesshoumaru take orders from you, miscreant?"

"Why you-"

"Guys!" Kagome interrupted. Both brothers turned towards Kagome who had her hands on her hips while she furiously tapped her foot. She was one more insult away from ripping her hair out of her head. Inuyasha had interrupted a very _personal_ moment between her and Sesshoumaru; needless to say, she was not a happy priestess. The last thing she needed was to listen to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru shooting insults at one another; especially when she was practically dry humping one of them not five minutes ago.

"Kagome, just what in the hell were you thinking?!" Inuyasha yelled at her. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

Kagome heaved a great sigh and looked at the brothers carefully. "_Both_ of you better come back alive," she warned them. She then turned towards Shippou, Sango and Miroku, and even Kikyo, blatantly ignoring Inuyasha's questions. "Would you guys like some tea? My hut isn't very far away." Miroku and Sango nodded their heads dumbly; mouths still slightly open while Shippou's eyes were still being covered, while the undead priestess merely tilted her head once and followed after Kagome as she set off towards her temporary home.

Inuyasha watched as she all but stormed away and then turned quickly towards his _half_-brother. "You!"

"Me."

"You keep your filthy hands off of Kagome or else!" the half-demon threatened again.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in Inuyasha's direction and discretely placed his hand upon the hilt of Tokijin. He watched his brother warily, looking for any signs that he would try and strike out at him, and like clock-work, Inuyasha brandished his sword and charged.

The demon lord easily dodged the attack, having known all along that his brother could not help himself and would fight him as soon as his friends left. Sesshoumaru moved up and over Inuyasha and came down gently behind him with his claws readied with poison. Inuyasha spun around and barely had time to block a snap from Sesshoumaru's acid whip. The half-demon snarled viciously and growled low in his throat. "Why her?"

"Why not?" the demon lord asked too casually for Inuyasha's liking.

"Because she's human! Because she's a priestess! And because she belongs with me!"

"You hold no claim over her."

"The hell I don't! She promised to stay by _my_ side; not yours, mine! So back off! I don't trust you and I won't let her go without a fight," he told the demon lord determinedly.

For a moment Sesshoumaru considered whether or not the girl was worth the trouble of fighting his brother no matter how effortless a fight it would be. However, as her lingering aroma reached his delicate senses he soon realized that he would not like to be without that scent when he so chose to have it. And as most knew, what Sesshoumaru wanted, Sesshoumaru got. Therefore, the thought of besting his brother for claim over the priestess, no matter how temporary, now appealed to him.

"I will warn you only once half-breed: you will NOT win."

"We'll just see about that! Wind Scar!" Inuyasha slashed his blade across the sky and brought it down in Sesshoumaru's direction. It left a path of devastation in its wake; however, the demon lord was not a part of it.

Sensing immediate danger behind him, Inuyasha leapt forward and twisted around just in time to have his chest grazed by Sesshoumaru's deadly claws. Sesshoumaru allowed a small smirk to show at the sight of blood dripping down Inuyasha's shirt and cracked his knuckles. "Too slow."

* * *

Kagome served the occupants of her hut some tea while they all watched her carefully. She had yet to give an explanation for what they had witnessed when they walked into the clearing, and it did not appear that she would be offering the information any time soon. Shippou's eyes had been covered by Sango's hands through the entire spectacle, so he was fidgeting endlessly trying to figure out just what everyone had seen. No one had yet spoken a word, but everyone could feel the inevitable comment looming closer at the tip of _someone's_ tongue. Finally, it was Sango who spoke, but she did not ask the question that all were hoping she'd ask.

"So Kagome…your hut is nice."

Kagome looked up from pouring her own cup of tea and smiled brightly at her friend. "Thank you so much Sango! I've been working really hard at making this place comfortable. I planted the flowers out front, patched all the holes in the walls; I even made the curtain for the window. Oh! And when I first got here I scrubbed the floor and walls, and cleaned out the fire pit." Kagome's chest puffed out a little with pride; she was damn proud of all the work she put into this place, so she was happy someone had said had noticed.

The others nodded their appreciation for all of her efforts. They could see that she had made herself at home here; it was almost unnerving, how comfortable and at home she seemed in this little village. If they were not mistaken, she seemed almost…_happier_ here than she did when she was with them. That was not something any of them wanted to consider.

"Um, Kagome?" Miroku said hesitantly. When Kagome looked over at him, he took a deep breath and continued. "Would you please inform us as to what we all stumbled upon in the clearing? It certainly was out of the ordinary."

Kagome sighed and resigned herself to her fate. She knew there was no way to get around answering their questions, but she wasn't so sure she was ready to enlighten them all yet as to what had been transpiring between she and Sesshoumaru. "Look it's kinda a long story. I-"

"What happened in the clearing?" Shippou finally asked. Kagome blushed a deep red and bit her lip.

"Uh...you see. I um…Sesshoumaru and I have been spending a lot of time together and uh…"

"Do you like Lord Sesshoumaru, Kagome?" Shippou asked curiously.

Smiling a little while her blush darkened, Kagome nodded her head and answered, "Yeah, I think I do."

The group once again fell silent at Kagome's admission. Sango couldn't believe that sweet little Kagome had been wrapped provocatively around Sesshoumaru in the clearing, but to hear that she actually had feelings for him too?! It was just so much to absorb. Miroku seemed to be taking it all in stride. He knew that the relationship between Kagome and Inuyasha had been stretched thin for a while now, so it was only a matter of time before Kagome moved on and allowed her heart to mend itself.

Kikyo had said nothing throughout the ordeal, but was feeling very content with the way things were working out. As much as the girl was a thorn in her side most of time, she did not want to have to once again remind Kagome of her status as her reincarnation. That only made the fact that Kikyo was dead more real. No one would want to be reminded of the truth that their "existence" on earth was a charade, and Kikyo was no different.

Upon walking into the clearing where Kagome and Sesshoumaru had been engaged in their passionate acts, Kikyo felt a substantial weight lift off of her shoulders. If Kagome did not care to be in a relationship with Inuyasha, then it would not be a huge debacle to take him away from her when the time came. She did not thrive off of other people's suffering, she did not care to cause other's sufferings either; but she felt entitled to her wants and needs, and what she wanted was Inuyasha; what she needed was to take him to hell with her, to take him with her when next she left this plane of existence for good.

"Kagome," Sango stated worriedly. "Isn't Sesshoumaru dangerous? I mean, he's tried to kill you before…and Inuyasha. Doesn't that tell you what kind of demon he is?"

Kagome dropped down to the floor and leaned back against the wall. "You don't know how many times I've asked myself the same questions," she said as she sighed again. "But, I don't know…he's different now. He's done nothing harmful to me, he's even saved me; you all were there to witness that. He's been a silent protector in a way since I've been here. I used to think that he was emotionless, and even though he still kind of is, it's…it's like I can read him better."

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou each shared a knowing look before taking sips of their tea. Kagome watched them and smiled. "What have you guys been doing? Any luck with Naraku's whereabouts?"

With the conversation turned to a less debatable topic, the group soon felt at ease around one another again. Naraku was something they all despised, that they all could agree on; he needed to be found and destroyed. Sango, Miroku, and occasionally Shippou, shared their tales of the past few months and their travels. Every now and then their eyes would drift to Kikyo who was gazing distractedly out the window of the small hut, seemingly ignoring their conversation. Soon they would have to talk to Kagome about the undead priestess joining in on their search, but right now was not the time.

As an hour passed by, Sango was having a more difficult time keeping Kagome's mind off of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, who both had yet to return to the hut.

"I shouldn't have left them alone," Kagome mumbled forlornly under her breath.

* * *

Inuyasha lay gasping for breath, sprawled out on his back at the end of a trail, made by his body, in the dirt. His hair was matted with drying blood and his arm felt as if it had been broken in three different places, but still he would not back down. There was no way in hell that Sesshoumaru was going to take Kagome away from him, not if there was anything he could do about it.

Sesshoumaru walked over to where the half-demon was laying and stood imposingly over him. There was no emotion on his face when he looked down at his younger half-brother, but inside he was slightly impressed with the fight that he was putting up against him. Sesshoumaru was not without any cuts and bruises. Even he, a well trained and highly skilled fighter, could not always get away in time to completely avoid the wrath of his father's sword that Inuyasha now wielded. His shirt held dried bloodstains and there were noticeable gashes upon his legs and arms. However, through all of this, Sesshoumaru knew himself to be the winner.

"It would be wise of you to recognize your better, half-breed," Sesshoumaru told him. He watched as Inuyasha slowly raised himself onto his elbows and glared at him with malice. The half-demon's face contorted with pain, but still he did not surrender.

"Fuck you Sesshoumaru! Stay away from Kagome!" he yelled before spitting blood on Sesshoumaru's boots.

Sesshoumaru wanted to shake his head at the stubborn boy in front of him. Did he honestly enjoy being beaten within an inch of his life? Inuyasha was a fool to think that Sesshoumaru would give up his right to the young priestess; she was not claimed and therefore was fair game. "It is a dangerous game you play, brother. Heed my warnings and spare yourself this humiliation."

"No chance…in hell," Inuyasha panted out as he lifted himself from the ground onto his wobbly legs. He sought the aid of his sword as a crutch and forced his head to rise in order for him to look his brother in the eyes. "You can't take her away from me."

Sesshoumaru had heard enough. He had tried to be fair in his fight, opting to not reach for his sword even while Inuyasha had held no such reservations. He would not lower himself to explain the relationship between him and the priestess for even if he did, Inuyasha would not listen. The demon lord held a small amount of pity for the half-demon at this point, knowing that he would walk back to his friends a defeated warrior.

Raising his right hand, Sesshoumaru nodded once to Inuyasha and then backhanded him with enough force to send him crashing through a couple surrounding trees. It was enough to render him unconscious at last and Sesshoumaru turned away and headed towards the small village. He knew there would be no welcoming acceptance, though he needed none anyway, and that when they learned of Inuyasha's defeat this day he would, in all likeliness, lose his favor with Kagome.

However, Inuyasha had learned a valuable lesson, as well as he. In some way or another, the young priestess was worth fighting for, and no matter who it was fighting for her, no one would back down lightly. Sesshoumaru knew this with every fiber of his being. He had become one of the many who held the girl in high esteem and he knew now that he would fight to stay in her good graces, if only to be able to speak with her once in a while.

The demon lord snorted at his own thoughts. He was no better than his brother to now allow his emotions to control him. He would respect his relationship with Kagome, but he would not become a sniveling fool; he was too strong for that. That was what his brother was and he was now lying somewhere in the forest, unconscious and bleeding. Making his way closer to the hut he and Kagome had shared a few times, Sesshoumaru waited just outside for Kagome to notice him; he would not endure the idle prattle that the humans engaged themselves in on a daily basis, nor put up with the tongue lashings he was sure to receive.

True to her nature, Kagome soon stepped out of the hut and graced him with a small smile. "Is everything okay? Where's Inuyasha?" she asked quietly, her voice full of concern.

"The half-breed is alive, though someone should tend to him," he told her emotionlessly. Kagome nodded and was about to go do just that when Kikyo stepped out of the hut. Kagome stopped in her tracks and got an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach when she looked at the undead priestess. Kikyo lifted her chin and seemed to be standing a bit taller when she spoke.

"I will tend to Inuyasha's wounds; I have done so for a while now since I joined with him in his search." Kikyo looked at Kagome's reaction and then at Sesshoumaru before she addressed her reincarnation. "You may stay here with your company." With that, she walked towards where Inuyasha was, leaving behind a miffed Kagome.

"I…she…how can? I have been taking care of Inuyasha for _years_ and she joins up with them for a couple months and thinks she now automatically Inuyasha's caretaker? We'll see about that!" Kagome spout out and once again began to walk only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and was surprised to see that it was Miroku who had stopped her progression. "Wha…?"

"Kagome, it's okay. Kikyo's actually coming along nicely and allowing her to tend to Inuyasha has been helping her to let go some of her anger and hatred. Inuyasha doesn't seem to mind the attention either," Miroku explained as nicely as he could. He didn't want her to get her feelings hurt if she were to go to Inuyasha and he turned her away. After the entire episode they had witnessed between Sesshoumaru and Kagome, Miroku was fairly positive Inuyasha would do just that.

"So you guys are just okay with her now? I mean, you trust her being alone with Inuyasha while he's vulnerable?" Kagome asked hotly. "She's told us many times she wants to take Inuyasha to hell with her and you are both okay with this?"

Sango had stepped out of the hut early in the conversation and was now ready to defend herself and Miroku. "Kagome, it's not like that. I for one don't trust her, but she hasn't done anything lately to make us think that she has bad intentions toward our group," Sango said as she walked up to stand next to Miroku and put a hand on his shoulder in support.

"I'm sorry guys, but I can't believe I'm hearing this. I've _always_ been the one to take care of Inuyasha. Granted, I haven't been around you guys for a while, but you're here now," Kagome said. She knew she sounded like she was whining, but Inuyasha was her best friend; one that she had done so much to protect emotionally, and now he was relying on someone else to help him.

The silent demon lord had heard enough. "Be glad that the whelp is being tended to," he said in a deadpan voice laced with a hint of envy.

Three heads turned in his direction and Kagome lowered her eyes to the ground in defeat. Inuyasha no longer needed her and it was apparently something she was going to have to learn to live with. She had been so used to being the one he depended on in his time of need, not that he would ever admit that.

"Okay," Kagome said dejectedly. "I guess that's all right then; as long as he's getting taken care of."

Sesshoumaru had observed Kagome and her reactions to being replaced by the undead priestess. He was not really surprised to see that she was upset; she had been attached to his half-brother for quite some time and was now cast aside. Or so it seemed. However, even knowing this, it still did not help ease the slight feeling of jealousy that had embedded itself in his gut. She had yet to really speak to him, only to ask if Inuyasha was all right, even though he obviously sported a few very distinguishable cuts and bruises himself.

He mentally shook his head. Women were such fickle creatures. He had fought a battle, however miniscule it was with his brother, for her and she said nary a word about it. No congratulations, no thank you's, no admonishments…nothing. Not that he wanted her to fawn all over him; no, that wasn't it. Just _some_ recognition would have been appreciated. Sesshoumaru straightened himself up to his full height and flicked a strand of hair over his shoulder.

Sango elbowed Miroku in the side, willing him to say something to lighten up the mood. Fortunately, he understood his cue and did so. "Well, I for one am famished. Is there perhaps a place we can get something to eat?"

Kagome looked at Miroku as if she hadn't heard him at first, but then her face lit up and she smiled. "Of course you guys, I'm so sorry! Come inside, I've got some things for dinner." Miroku and Sango walked back into the hut and before Kagome stepped inside she turned back to Sesshoumaru. "Aren't you coming?"

"Hn," was all he said as he stepped briskly into the small hut. Kagome had just enough time to step out of his way, lest he run her over and she huffed.

"What's his problem?" she mumbled to herself before entering.

* * *

Kikyo ventured further into the woods surrounding the village with silent steps. She had been waiting for Sesshoumaru to return from the fight, knowing full well that he would come out the victor of the skirmish. As much as Inuyasha tried, he would never be able to best his brother; not the way he fought so recklessly. He allowed his emotions to control him and every warrior knew that to be successful, one must detach themselves from the cause of battle.

She supposed she was an expert at detachment now, having been reborn into a half life she did not desire, having to face the problems she thought she had long since left behind. She felt as if she were wandering through life as merely a pawn. Though, she rationalized, that was exactly what she was. A pawn brought back from her eternal rest intended to serve a crazed witch with an unhealthy desire for power.

Kikyo sighed as she walked into the clearing in which Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fought. Her thoughts had carried her well away from Kagome's hut and its occupants and now she looked upon the devastation caused by the two brothers. She shook her head slowly; all of this over a girl who was not even from this world. A girl that would, more likely than not, disappear once the Shikon Jewel was restored and taken care of. Why all of this for her? What made her so special as to be able to attract the love of all people around her? Was she not her reincarnation; where were these feelings for her? Why did Inuyasha continue to hold her at arms length, when fifty years ago he was ready to die for her?

The undead priestess took in the debris around the area with a seemingly uninterested face and continued on her way. There was a clear cut path that Inuyasha's body had made during his flight by Sesshoumaru's hand, and Kikyo was able to follow it easily to where he lay. She shook her head lightly at the sight before her. Inuyasha was propped against the trunk of a tree with his hand firmly around the hilt of Tessaiga. His breathing was regular, though he had yet to acknowledge her presence near him.

She walked up to him and kneeled gracefully by his side. With a gentle hand she stroked his cheek and he looked up slowly at her. He thought at first that it was Kagome that had come to take care of him, but he realized quickly that it was Kikyo come to tend to his injuries.

"You sparring with your brother leads to naught," Kikyo told him lightly. Inuyasha snorted and leaned his head back against the tree. He closed his eyes in pain when his head hit a little too hard, but otherwise said nothing. He was trying to let all that had happened sink into his brain. He walked in to Kagome and Sesshoumaru doing things that he never wanted to see, he got his ass beaten by said brother and also subdued into the ground by Kagome, and now here he was, fighting not to lose consciousness being aided by a person he loved, but not by the person he wanted to see right now.

"I suppose Kagome's fixin' up the bastard," Inuyasha said more than asked. Kikyo said nothing even though she knew otherwise. When she had left to see to Inuyasha, Kagome's attention was definitely _not_ on the demon lord. Even when she had walked away from the group she could here Kagome's protests about her going to help.

However, even knowing this Kikyo said nothing, choosing instead to let Inuyasha believe what he wanted to. In the end, having this wedge between them would only aid in her attempts to take Inuyasha with her without a large confrontation. Between Kagome being found in the arms of Inuyasha's hated half-brother and now Inuyasha's thoughts that Kagome had chosen Sesshoumaru over him, the day when she finally was able to have her revenge should go smoothly.

"Do you not wish for me to be here?" Kikyo asked him. Inuyasha's head snapped so that his eyes met hers and his ears flattened against the top of his head.

"Of course I want you here. It's just that…" Inuyasha sighed a little and took her hand in his. "I want you here Kikyo. I'm glad you're with me." He pulled her forward and gently kissed her lips. She reciprocated and they shared a tender moment before she pulled away.

"We may stay here for the night if that is what you wish," the undead priestess told him. Inuyasha thought about it for a moment. He could either stay there with Kikyo and heal from the battle or he could spend the night glaring at his brother every time her got near, or even looked at, Kagome. Opting for once to use his brain instead of listening to his injured pride, Inuyasha settled himself a bit more comfortably against the tree, but leaning slightly onto Kikyo's shoulder.

"We'll stay here, I don't wanna see Kagome hangin' all over that bastard," he grumbled.

Kikyo nodded her head in acceptance to his wishes and scooted closer to him. She gently guided his head to fall into her lap and they both stayed like that through the night, neither of them speaking again.

* * *

From within the confines of his stronghold, Naraku tried desperately to suppress his mirth. The sight that Kanna had been so kind to show him had him clutching his gut in amusement. The fools didn't need him to ruin their lives; they were doing quite well on their own. If he hadn't been incapacitated trying to separate the personalities of his latest incarnation, then he would have taken advantage of Inuyasha's prone position. As it was though, it was taking a lot more energy and time to create four different beings out of one, than he expected.

Sending Kagura would prove to be fruitless and unentertaining. She had recently been prone to stealthily evading his orders and it had become tiresome. Soon he would rid himself of her, once she exhausted her usefulness to him. As it were, he still had a few tasks that he needed her for so she unknowingly eluded her demise for the time being.

A sharp stab of pain hit him and the unexpectedness of it made him scream out a dark, boiling shriek that reverberated off the walls of the stronghold. He panted as he overcame the painful sensation of yet another piece of him being ripped from his form. Two out of the four beings he had been working on creating were solidifying in front of him now. It had taken weeks for them to come to form, but finally he was making some progress.

Spasms continued to wrack his body as the last of the attached flesh broke free of him, and his eyes shined brightly in the dark as he observed the first of four personalities gained its own body. It stood up, reaching to its full height before stretching his new limbs and cracking his knuckles.

"Hukio," Naraku called out to him. The being now known as Hukio turned towards his master with an emotionless face. He took a slow once over of his new master and wanted to blanch in disgust. This…_thing_ couldn't have possibly given him life. No one that had enough power to birth someone as strong and mighty as he could look like such a monstrosity. It was an insult to his entire being.

With contempt showing clearly in his eyes, Hukio turned away from Naraku in search of an exit. Naraku narrowed his eyes at the incarnation and sneered at him in anger.

"Hukio! You will not turn away from me; I, Naraku, am your creator and also hold the lives of your brothers and sister in my hand!" He waited for the incarnation to stop his advancement before continuing. "It would be prudent to do as you are told; otherwise you may find yourself once again a part of my body."

Hukio said nothing as he turned to focus his gaze on his master. A victorious smirk overcame Naraku's face when he saw that his newest creation was not going to protest anymore and took a seat on the wall opposite him. "Your siblings should be along shortly; Ikkaku is already separate from me and is merely gaining his strength. The others are not far behind."

The incarnation looked to the side to see the form of his younger brother still writhing haphazardly on the ground. He could not do anything as of yet, but soon when he had all his siblings, Hukio would rid himself of the foul creature known as Naraku. There would be no stopping him once he gained control; he could feel a foreign power resonating from Naraku and it was of incredible strength. It had immediately drawn him in, and Hukio knew if he could just get his hands on whatever was giving off such an enormous energy, he would rule over all. First thing was first, however.

"What am I?"

"You are an elemental demon of course. Your powers lie in your ability to manipulate the four elements: air, water, earth, and fire," Naraku explained. "If I do say so myself, you are quite possibly my most impressive creation yet. You will serve me well."

'_Not likely,'_ Hukio thought to himself. The stronghold was once again shrouded in silence as Naraku and his 'son' sat and prepared for the others' conception. There was much planning to do before his brothers and sister came to be; he would need their assistance in taking down Naraku, but he was sure that with their help they would succeed. He made himself comfortable against the wall and was well prepared to play the waiting game. Soon all the power would be his.

Soon.

* * *

**_Inuyasha is NOT a happy camper! His jealousy is going to get the best of him and we just know he's going to put his foot in his mouth! Too bad for him it may just bring our couple closer! Thank you for reading; please feel free to review and it's always appreciated!_**

* * *


	23. Bitterness

**_Thank you so much for the reviews! You guys are the epitome of awesomeness Knowing that my work is appreciated makes me happy!_**

**_A special thank you to Sunset Miko for editing, it' wouldn't be half as good without you!_**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: BITTERNESS**

Kagome was awake before everyone else that morning, something that never used to happen while she was traveling with them. The schedule that she'd been on since starting her training had now become routine, so she didn't think twice about it. A warm body pressed next to her made her look down and smile.

Shippou had missed curling up next to her at night and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep nuzzled close to her. His bright red bushy tail was tickling her cheek as it wagged happily while he slept. She longed to stay there and go back to sleep again, but her duties called to her, so she carefully maneuvered her way out from under the covers so that she did not wake him.

As quietly as she could, Kagome grabbed a set of clothes and her bow and arrows, and tip-toed around her sleeping friends, taking note that Inuyasha and Kikyo were no where to be found. Strangely enough, that thought did not upset her as much as she expected it would. She also took into account that Sesshoumaru was not inside the small hut, but then again after she had tended to the wounds, which Sesshoumaru grumpily insisted would heal just fine on their own, he had taken his leave of the small abode.

Kagome frowned at that memory. It had become so customary for Sesshoumaru to sleep in the hut with her that it felt…unnatural for him to not. His presence was something that she had come to expect every night and she didn't quite feel complete without it. Kagome shook her head and tucked that feeling away to examine it at a later time, preferably when she wasn't trying to rush to get to her lessons.

Just outside of the hut, Kagome grabbed the two water pails that she had been filling since day one of her training and headed for the small creek to gather the water. Her steady pace slowed when she neared the water's edge as she caught sight of the focus of her thoughts staring out over the creek. With a sigh, Kagome walked up and stood next to him and even though he did nothing to acknowledge her presence, Kagome knew that he'd sensed her approach long before she arrived.

"Sesshoumaru…um, about last night; I-"

"Your apology is neither wanted nor needed, priestess," he bit out curtly.

Kagome had a snappy come-back in mind but cast it aside when she recognized a small amount of hurt in his voice. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her when he saw her posture slump in defeat.

"It may not be wanted or needed, but I'm going to give you one anyway," Kagome said quietly. "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. I was so caught up with worrying about being replaced that I…you must think that I don't care at all."

Kagome kept her face down so she missed Sesshoumaru straightening his back to stand up even taller. So the girl had feelings for him? On some level he already knew this; he spent a lot of time with her and didn't miss the looks she sent his way from time to time. That and the fact that they had enjoyed each other's affections on more than one occasion was a very good indicator that she held some feelings for him anyway.

When Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, Kagome looked up at him to see that he was now staring at her, as if willing her to continue. "What?"

Sesshoumaru reached up and flicked a strand of hair that had fallen over his shoulder back into place. Kagome smiled at the gesture; she loved it when he did that. His hair was always something she would be envious of and obviously he took great pride in his long, silver locks. Her eyes were diverted to his mouth when she saw the ends of a light smirk playing on his lips. Her eyes narrowed at him and she crossed her arms impatiently.

"Your apology is accepted priestess," Sesshoumaru said casually as he closed his eyes to bask in the warmth of the rising sun.

A hand on his arm made him open his eyes and he looked down just as Kagome stood on her tip-toes and gently pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to him as he deepened the kiss. Kagome took the initiative and parted her lips so that he could slip his tongue into her mouth and they both delighted in the feel of being so close.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body closer to his. She could easily feel the effect she was having on him and it made her shudder delightfully. He broke away from her warm mouth to slowly kiss his way down her neck, pausing to suck gently on her pulse point. Kagome leaned her head to the side to give him better access and his chest rumbled with a pleased growl as he continued his sensual assault on her neck.

His hands moved to caress her far-too-clothed body as grabbed onto his hair tightly. Sesshoumaru's hands worked their way under her shirt and his warm fingers came into contact with her cool skin. Her breathing hitched as she wantonly waited for his hands to make their ascent. His splayed fingers ghosted over her breasts and Kagome moaned lightly giving him the incentive to continue his perusal of her body. He gently squeezed her mounds and kissed his way to the other side of her neck while she ground her hips into his.

Kagome felt wonderful. His body close to hers was an incredibly heady feeling and she longed for it to continue. She felt bold in his presence, felt like she could ignore anything and everything as long as he kept his warm body next to hers. She felt his arousal pressed firmly against her and it made her want to feel even more of him. Unfortunately, time was not on their side.

Sesshoumaru lifted his head reluctantly from his perusal of her neck when he caught the distinct sound of the village's priestess. He flinched slightly when he heard her call out for Kagome again and then gently pushed himself away from Kagome's willing grasp. She made a sound of protest and his male ego swelled with pride.

"The old priestess is calling for you; I assume you do not want her to find you in this position?"

Kagome blushed lightly and nodded her head in agreement before stepping back to fix her clothing. Just as she was finishing tucking her shirt it—more for looks than anything—Megumi could be seen over the small hill leading down towards the creek side.

"Girl! You are late for your studies; get those pails full and get moving. I do not tolerate tardiness!" the old priestess yelled at her.

"Sorry Megumi," Kagome said half-heartedly while she bent over to fill the buckets. She leveled a playful glare at Sesshoumaru and said quietly, "This is all your fault you know. You just can't keep your hands off me."

Sesshoumaru snorted lightly. "If memory serves correctly, it was you who could not control yourself around this Sesshoumaru," he said, not once looking her way. The small curve of his lips was the only indication he was highly amused by the entire thing.

Kagome shook her head and stood up from filling the buckets. She was about to pass him when she heard him add, "You were late for your training with the priestess; however, you will not be late for sparring. Understood?"

She lifted an eyebrow at him and then bowed. "Of course sensei; this grasshopper has much to learn." Without another word, Kagome left him to follow quickly after Megumi. Sesshoumaru remained standing where he was, staring out over the creek.

'_Grasshopper?'_

* * *

--

Naraku lay weak in the corner of his room after having detached his four latest incarnations. It took great effort to make one person with four distinctly different personalities into four completely separate beings. However, he had done it, and he had done it successfully.

There was Hukio of course, his elemental demon who looked as if he rose from the depths of hell itself. He was an immaculate creature with long hair that was both blue and red. He had a strong build that many demons wished for, and his beauty matched his fierceness. His pale skin contrasted greatly with his nearly all black eyes and his overall appearance would lead anyone who saw him believe he was a vicious killer.

In addition, after Hukio was a mimic known as Ikkaku. Ikkaku was a sly demon with dark skin and flat white hair, much like that of Kanna. His eyes were red like many of Naraku's incarnations, but other than that, he lacked any striking physical traits. He was short and slender and deceivingly frail looking. However, he was not to be trifled with for his abilities were that of his opponents. With one attack he could copy exactly his enemy's abilities as well as strength. No, he was not to be cast aside.

There then came Hiagi, the only female in the group. She had beauty to rival any demoness in Japan, but she held an evil obsession with playing people like puppets. All she needed was a single drop of blood from her target to make them move under her will. Her light, pale purple hair matched the color of her eyes and her tall, thin form was indeed a thing of beauty. She was an intelligent demon who closely studied her prey before striking, but one glance at her was enough to convince anyone that she was anything but demure.

The last incarnation to be born of Naraku was Ruki. Unlike his brothers and sister, Ruki was not a killing machine; in fact he was just the opposite. He was a healer, but he did not freely give his abilities to just anyone. No, his gift was reserved for his siblings and _only_ his siblings. Broken bones could be mended, wounds could be sealed with only a drag of his clawed finger, and there was enough energy in him to bring one of his siblings back to life if need be. When in battle he could easily be mistaken as non-threatening, but he could be the proverbial thorn in your side.

Naraku grinned evilly as he watched his incarnations from his window as they tested their abilities on some of the lower level demons around the stronghold. His plans were finally coming together after so long in hiding that he was finding himself impatient to get things underway. Hukio had been informed of Naraku's intentions so that he could relay them to his siblings; they would be needed greatly to make his plans all come together.

Naraku had made certain his latest henchman, Takahiro, was going to be fully under his control by placing a tainted shard in the back of his neck. It was a tricky thing to do, getting the shard to be virtually undetectable, but so far it seemed to be working.

Balancing as much as he could of the energies within that one single shard, so that the dark portion of it was just barely larger than the pure, Naraku managed to make it seem as if it was nothing. However, his little spell would not last forever as the energies inside fought for control. It would only be a matter of time before one of them took control, and Naraku would make sure it was the dark side that would overcome. The banquet that Takahiro kept thinking so much about would be the perfect time to add one last bit of malice to the shard. The young priestess would not know what hit her.

There was only one more crucial part to his plan that had yet to be taken care of. Naraku allowed his eyes to linger on the eldest of his newest incarnations, Hukio. Naraku was not a fool; he did not make it as far as he was today by being naïve and easily mislead. Hukio held nothing in the way of respect for him and he knew it, and he planned on using that piece of information to his utmost advantage. As is was, Naraku was in no way, shape, or form ready to confront the ragtag group of shard hunters, so he would have to wear them down and then strike when they least expected it.

He smirked and clutched his portion of the tainted Shikon Jewel close to his body. His hackles instinctively rose when he felt his incarnation approaching where he sat in the dark confines of his room. The door slowly slid open to reveal the elemental demon and Naraku sat up straighter.

"What is it Hukio?" Naraku asked quietly.

Hukio walked closer to his master and held out his hand, palm up. "You have served your purpose and are no longer needed," he said as a bright ball of fire lit from the center of his palm.

"Is that so? Pray tell…what is it that you are trying to accomplish?"

Hukio stood impassively over the seated form of Naraku and blinked once slowly. "Your end," he said as the ball of fire towards Naraku where it embedded itself in him.

For a moment the room was still, but as the seconds passed, Naraku's face turned into one of pure agony and he screamed as the flames shot through his veins and ripped him apart from the inside out. In a brilliant flash, Naraku had disappeared and the Shikon Jewel clinked as it hit the floor before rolling to a stop near Hukio's feet.

The elemental demon flicked a piece of dust from his shoulder and then bent to retrieve the portion of the jewel. He sneered at the pile of ash at his feet and waved his hand, which sent a light breeze upon the pile, scattering it and lifting it into the air and out the window of the castle. "He was weak. Already I have outgrown him in many ways. Master indeed."

Without looking back to the now empty room, Hukio set out towards his siblings. It was time for his clan to take what he believed was rightfully theirs: the rest of the Shikon Jewel, and then…Japan.

* * *

--

Kagome hissed as the slight sting of the blade as it met her arm. Sesshoumaru proved to be an unrelenting sparring partner and did not go easy on her because she was human. However, her one reprieve was that he did not use his superior speed to catch her off guard and for that she was extremely grateful.

"You are faltering," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Allowing your weariness to show will only give your enemy the advantage."

Kagome propped her hands on her knees as she bent over trying to catch her breath. She felt miserably out of shape when she was sparring with Sesshoumaru and it looked as though he hadn't even broken a sweat. She groaned, _'He broke more of a sweat when he was sparring with himself.'_ Seeing his bored look, Kagome rose to her full height and returned to her ready position, this time with her face free of emotion.

Sesshoumaru studied her intently as they fought, giving her helpful advice as they went so that she would be well prepared when they faced Naraku. He had an uneasy feeling whenever he thought about the impending battle; whether it was from his newly formed opinion of Kagome or the fact that Naraku possessed a nearly complete jewel he could not say. What he did know was that when the time came to face off against the vile half-demon, he wanted Kagome to be ready.

He watched her footing and wanted to sigh. With the small amount of pleasure that came with besting any opponent, Sesshoumaru used the blunt side of the sword and swept Kagome's feet out from under her. He pointed the tip down at her and she frowned at her own mishap.

"What did you do wrong?" he questioned her.

Kagome sighed, closed her eyes, and answered from her position on the ground. "I crossed my feet while trying to attack and it threw me off balance."

"Hn." Kagome took that as an approval of her answer. He made no move to help her up so Kagome gave him a half-hearted glare and stood on tired legs.

"Is that all for today sensei?" Kagome asked playfully. Feeling spunky, she sauntered up to him with a wicked smirk. He looked impassively at her, but raised an eyebrow in question at her actions. She, for one, wanted to pick up where they had left off that morning near the creek side. Just as she was raising herself to her tip-toes, an all too familiar voice echoed through the trees. She sighed and closed her eyes at Inuyasha's less than impeccable timing.

"I see he has made his way back to the others," Sesshoumaru remarked offhandedly. For some reason he wanted to fill the silence that had made Kagome seem so disappointed. In order to salvage the progress that they made this morning, Sesshoumaru reached down and lifted her face up to him by catching her chin between his fingers. He lowered his lips to hers and initiated a slow, deep kiss.

Kagome moaned longingly and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled away reluctantly and wanted to burst with male pride at his handy work. Her face held a light flush and her eyes were hooded as she struggled to keep him close to her. Her lips were a deeper pink then they had been before their kiss and he could not resist planting one last chaste kiss on her lips.

"Come," he said as he began walking away towards the village. Kagome followed closely, eventually speeding up her gait to walk beside him. Sesshoumaru looked at her from the corner of his eye, but did not say anything. She had earned the right to stand next to him in more ways than one.

The two made their way back to the hut in silence, each finding a little bit of strength in the other's presence. Kagome could now see Inuyasha pacing outside the hut and she steeled herself for his onslaught; Inuyasha could get pretty reckless when he was angry and Kagome didn't want him ruining all the hard work that she put into that hut to make it a home away from home.

"He will not be destructive; I will see to it," Sesshoumaru said darkly. Kagome glanced up at him a little surprised, but then smiled at his intuition.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru." A nod of his head was all she received before they stepped out of the surrounding trees.

"Kagome what the fuck took you so long?!" was the first thing out of Inuyasha's mouth.

"Sit boy!" A satisfying crash allowed Kagome to gather her bearings before she dealt with more of Inuyasha's callousness. Sesshoumaru watched the scene unfolding before him with amusement. No matter how many times he saw the small priestess subdue the half-breed, it never failed to tickle his twisted funny bone.

Inuyasha grumbled as Kikyo helped him out of his crater. He gently shrugged her off when he was able to stand and leveled a glare at Kagome. "Are you ready to explain?" he asked her with bitterness etched in his voice.

Kagome pursed her lips. "There's nothing to explain Inuyasha. Sess-"

"Like hell there's nothing to explain. Just what the fuck did you think you were doing out there?! Did you just throw yourself at him?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed on Inuyasha dangerously. "Hold your tongue whelp."

Inuyasha turned furious eyes onto the demon lord. "I wasn't talkin' to _you_." Inuyasha looked to Kagome and saw that her face was impassive. He shuddered a little at the familiarity of that look that he had seen so many times on Sesshoumaru. "Can we talk?"

Kagome seemed a bit surprised at the soft request and instantly her posture relaxed. "Sure Inuyasha, we can talk." He nodded his head when she pointed to the hut and then walked inside. Kagome turned towards Sesshoumaru and smiled at him, knowing that a public display of affection wouldn't sit well with him at the moment. Hell, she didn't exactly feel that comfortable yet with him.

His eyes followed her as she entered the hut and he turned towards the monk and the demon slayer who had arrived to watch the fray some time ago. Now was as good a chance as any to study those that the priestess had traveled with. He had done so on a few occasions when he interacted with the group, but never went out of his way. However, now he didn't have anything better to do, so why not?

Sesshoumaru studied Kagome's companions one at a time. The monk was busy sending up a prayer, or so it looked. However, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he saw the monk's hand twitch and then slowly lower to the demon slayer's backside. With an imperceptible shake of his head he witnessed as the demon slayer pummeled the monk on the head with her fist. The small fox kit laughed heartily at the scene while Sesshoumaru huffed silently at the ridiculousness of it.

His eyes strayed to the undead priestess and he did not bother to hide his perusal of her. By simply looking at her one could tell that she was not the same as the rest of the group she traveled with. Her eyes were blank and her skin held an unhealthy pallor. She hardly showed emotion, though when she did it was usually that of hate and bitterness. Sesshoumaru curled his lip in disgust; one such as her should not be walking the earth. She belonged back in the ground, buried with the soil and clay her body was formed with.

Sesshoumaru looked back towards the hut where Kagome and Inuyasha had disappeared to. He did not like the fact that they were in there alone, but he knew that it was a necessity to have the whelp cease his temper tantrums. Hopefully once Kagome got through with him he would sulk in his corner and leave him alone. The demon lord could only wish.

* * *

--

Takahiro sat quietly next to the fire that was warming his hut. For the past few nights he had been unable to get a sufficient amount of sleep; every time he would start to fall under the spell of exhaustion, the voice would startle him back awake. The voice laughed at him and mocked him for being unable to kill a simple human girl. At first Takahiro could ignore it, thinking it merely a figment of his frayed imagination, but as it became more persistent, he became more afraid.

He looked over at his wife, his darling wife that Naraku had given back to him. Naraku. His name made Takahiro shiver in fear and the voice started up again.

'_Takahiro…"_ it would call. _'Do you not tire of this empty existence? I can give you more.'_

"More," he repeated absently.

'_Yessss…more. You only have to kill the girl.'_

Takahiro's head whipped to his left, where it sounded like the source of the voice was. Instead of finding Naraku there staring at him with his cold red eyes, he instead saw his wife. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and gave him a warm smile. Takahiro smiled back, but it soon turned into a look of terror as his wife's face changed. Her skin seemed to melt off her bones and her eyes became lifeless orbs. He let loose a pathetic scream and cowered away from her, smashing himself against the wall.

"Takahiro?" his wife called to him sweetly, a bit concerned. "Takahiro, can you hear me?"

He gave no answer as the voice in his head continued to fill his ears. _'That is the future Takahiro. It is _your_ future if you fail me again.'_

"H-how? How do I kill her? She has so many around her," he whispered quietly, knowing that the voice could hear him perfectly. A sinister laugh echoed through his mind and Takahiro clenched his eyes shut and clutched the sides of his head to try and block out the awful noise, but it was impossible. How does one escape from a voice inside your own mind?

'_I am giving you this last chance to prove your worth. Take this dagger and cut her once with it. It is a weak poison that will render her unconscious; from there, you decide what her fate shall be.'_ Takahiro opened his eyes and looked down in his lap where a small dagger had materialized. He carefully picked it up and turned it over in his hands a few times to examine it before he tucked it away in his belt.

"Last chance…" he whispered as he looked back to his wife. She had returned to cooking over the fire while humming a small tune as if nothing strange had happened. Takahiro felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck and whimpered, but it soon faded to a dull throb.

Thanking anything that would listen that the voice in his head had quieted, Takahiro stood on shaky legs and ambled his way out of the door. He would remind the young priestess and her friends of the banquet tomorrow so that he could make his attempt there. While there were so many people walking and talking, he could easily lead her away while no one was paying attention and carry out his plan.

"I can do this," he spoke quietly to himself as he walked through the small village towards Kagome's hut. He didn't notice the curious glances that were thrown his way by passing villagers who had heard his small rambling; he only had one thing on his mind. "Last chance, I will not fail."

* * *

--

Sesshoumaru felt like banging his head on the nearest, hardest surface he could find. Kagome had been talking to his half-brother for quite some time, and although he kept a sharp ear tuned into the conversation, he still wasn't satisfied. He would have preferred to follow her into the hut rather than be left behind with her companions.

Gods he was becoming too attached. It was better when he hadn't seen her every day; at least then he had time to forget about her and think on other things…more important things. She had said she only had a few more lessons with the village priestess and she was becoming quite skilled with her sword.

Soon they would go their separate ways and he would return to his own entourage. Inuyasha knew the Kagome's place now so he didn't have to worry about him staking any claim and if he ever decided that he wanted to see her again, all he would have to do is go to her. That was that.

A crash was heard from the inside of the hut and Sesshoumaru quickly—but not _too _quickly—made his way over to determine the source. However, before he made it to the doorway, Inuyasha flung the mat to the side and stepped out, being closely followed by Kagome. She was rubbing her eyes with her thumb and forefinger in a clear show of exhaustion. Inuyasha stomped over to Kikyo with his arms crossed and sat down next to her.

Sesshoumaru gave Kagome a questioning glance, but she shook her head. They would speak on it later. The demon lord was mildly surprised that Inuyasha hadn't said anything…

"This village sucks!" the half-demon bellowed. Sesshoumaru had apparently thought too soon.

Everyone glanced at Inuyasha who had a frown marring his features. When he saw that all eyes were on him, he pinned his ears to his head. "What? It does suck."

Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head. She turned to go back inside her hut when she saw Takahiro walking towards them. She shot a quick glance at Sesshoumaru who had his eyes locked on the approaching man. His hand slipped discretely to the hilt of his sword and Kagome smirked at his protectiveness.

Takahiro seemed nervous, but Kagome couldn't blame him for feeling so; there were a lot of new people and demons around her. She waited until he reached her to ask what he needed.

"Hi Takahiro. Can I help you with something?"

The man's eyes darted around the small group, but then settled back onto Kagome. "I…first I want to apologize for my behavior the other day, I-I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Oh, well it's okay, I know-"

"I, um…also wanted to re-remind you about the banquet that's going to be held in your and the demon…lord's honor tomorrow night." His eyes darted to Inuyasha for a moment when he voiced his opinion of a banquet, or _anything_ for that matter, being held in Sesshoumaru's honor. Takahiro ignored him and waited for Kagome to say something.

"Oh! Yes, thank you; I almost forgot about that, sorry," she said quickly.

"You'll be there then?" Takahiro asked.

"Of course. My friends-"

"They can come too. As long as you're there, and the demon lord of course." At Kagome's nod, Takahiro turned tail and all but ran away from them. He stumbled a few times and Kagome shook her head.

"People in this village are weird," Inuyasha supplied. "I don't know how you put up with them. There's probably nothin' to even do around here."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, but chose to ignore his complaining. "Are any of you hungry? I can go get some fish for dinner." At the collective nod she continued, "all right, you can all make yourselves comfortable in the hut if you'd like and I'll-"

"The hut's too cramped to fit all of us. It would be uncomfortable," Inuyasha interrupted her.

'_What is up with people interrupting me?'_ Kagome thought bitterly. "I'm sure you'll be fine," she ground out through clenched teeth.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou took a couple of steps back from Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his oblivious half-brother, but it went unnoticed.

"Keh! It's not even a hut, is it? How do ya live in that thing, it's ugly as sin. I bet we all can't even sleep in there; I mean, shit, the fire pit takes up most of the room…"

"Inuyasha," Miroku warned quietly when he saw the foretelling tick of Kagome's eye. His advice went unheeded and Inuyasha continued his ranting.

"…and it only has one window and you've got those stupid lookin' curtains blockin' the view…"

"Inuyasha," Shippou tried, waving his arms and shaking his head rapidly to get the half-demon's attention without success.

"…and another thing, it fuckin' reeks of that bastard in there! Just what the fuck have you two been-"

"Sit!" The rest of the group cringed and shook their heads as Kikyo and Sesshoumaru looked on impassively with completely different emotions running through their heads. That command had enough force to knock Inuyasha out cold and Kagome's cheeks heated with embarrassment and anger.

"I'm going to get dinner," she said with unveiled frustration.

Miroku stepped towards Inuyasha to drag him into the hut when he was stopped by Sesshoumaru's voice.

"Leave him; the whelp has earned his punishment." A quick sneer in Inuyasha's direction and Sesshoumaru was gone and following after Kagome to offer his assistance.

Those that remained stared after him and then shrugged. "Well," Sango piped up, "I guess we should go make ourselves comfortable."

Kikyo once again stayed behind with Inuyasha while he recovered. She hadn't felt the need to interfere with Inuyasha's rampage, but was disgusted with the power Kagome held over Inuyasha. She looked down at the prayer beads and inspected them delicately.

Kikyo's bitterness towards her reincarnation grew each time she had to witness the beads in action. Soon Inuyasha would not be the only one who had to suffer subjugation, of that she would make sure. The young priestess held far too much power over the half-demon, but that would change.

* * *

**_Dun dun dun I'm not a Kikyo hater, but man she's easy to make evil sometimes. Hope you enjoyed it, as always, reviews are much appreciated!_**

* * *


	24. MIA

**_Hello again my lovely readers! Thank you so much for the kind reviews, they are definitely fuel! Sorry it's been a while since the last update, real life stuff has been a biotch! I'll try and update sooner next time _**

**_A special thank you to imanewme for being my beta for this chapter; you're awesome!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

* * *

-- CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: M.I.A. --

The latter part of the evening had been spent watching the two dog demon brothers glare at one another. Kagome tried her best to keep the peace and remain the good hostess, but her well known patience was wearing paper thin.

The tension in the small hut was nearly palpable and Miroku shifted uncomfortably in his seat. How did Kagome deal with this? He was ready to make a flying leap for the door and camp in the woods for the remainder of the trip. Absently, the monk scooted closer to Sango whose grip had remained tight on her weapon, just in case.

Kagome was grateful that Kikyo had decided to go off on her own for a little while to do lord knows what. It didn't matter to her anyway, she was just glad the undead priestess wasn't glaring daggers at the back of her head any more. If there was anyone that could rival Sesshoumaru's cold gaze, it was Kikyo. She had the innate ability to send chills up Kagome's spine, like someone had just stepped on her own grave.

Shippou seemed to be the only one who wasn't affected by the whole situation. He was happily seated in Kagome's lap with his eyes closed in contentment as she lovingly stroked his tail. He had missed her immensely while she was away, and if it were up to him, he'd stay with her from now on.

Kagome glanced up from her cooking when she heard a low rumbling sound come from Inuyasha. She pinched the bridge of her nose when she realized he was growling; he just never gave it a rest!

"Inuyasha would you give it a rest already?" she snapped at him.

He turned his glare to her and then cursed under his breath when he realized he was the first to break eye contact between him and his _half_-brother. He quickly turned back to continue his glaring contest, but Sesshoumaru had already won and his attention now rested on the priestess who just handed him a bowl of stew.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and glowered further. "Why does _he_ get the first bowl?" Everyone turned to look at him and his ears pinned to his head. That's when he noticed that while he was too busy trying to salvage the glaring contest, he failed to notice that the others had been served their bowls of stew as well and his jealous outburst was all for naught.

"Keh!"

Kagome shook her head and offered him a bowl, which he snatched quickly from her hands. She then got her own bowl and looked around for a split second before she walked over to where Sesshoumaru was sitting and took a seat next to him. Once comfortable, she looked up at him with a smile on her face and blushed when she saw that he was watching her intently. He acknowledged her with a small nod of his head and then the group was once again left in awkward silence. Inuyasha was left to unsuccessfully stare holes in his brother's head. He didn't like how comfortable Kagome was around the bastard; he would turn on her when she was least expecting it, and then it would be too late; he wouldn't be able to save her.

Somehow he needed to find a way to keep her out of trouble, be it trouble with his brother or any other way. Kagome was his best friend, he couldn't just sit back and watch while she put herself in harms way. Harm just so happened to be Sesshoumaru right now. When Kikyo got back from where ever it was she went to, he'd talk it over with her; maybe she would have an idea.

Kagome was a little worried at the gleam of light that shined in Inuyasha's eyes at that moment. She knew he wasn't happy about her relationship with Sesshoumaru, and she couldn't blame him. It wasn't as if Sesshoumaru had been exactly kind to them in the past and all the bad blood that ran between the two brothers was not something either one of them could easily forget. With a dejected sigh, Kagome closed her eyes and leaned up against the wall of the hut.

Hopefully the morning would bring with it a more relaxing atmosphere.

* * *

--

Takahiro sat up quietly from the bed that he and his wife shared and wiped the sweat from his brow. It was time to put his plan into action. Today was the festival that the village had decided to host in honor of the priestess Kagome and her demon lord. All needed to go according to plan or else he was sure to meet Naraku's wrath head on. He shuddered at the thought of the things Naraku could do to him to make him suffer; or worse yet, make his lovely wife suffer.

He looked over at her sleeping form and brushed aside the hair from her eyes. He would do _anything_ Naraku asked of him, as long as it meant being able to keep his wife alive. As much as he had come to respect the girl he now sought to kill, his wife was first and foremost his top priority.

Takahiro palmed the dagger in his hand carefully. Just one scratch with it and she would be rendered unconscious. He had enlisted the help of a few men from the closest village about three days travel away. Since he no longer had lessons with Kagome, it was easy to concoct his plan and send messages to his helpers.

He hated giving her over to those burly men, but what other choice did he have? He just couldn't kill her outright, but he could have someone do it _for_ him. Takahiro didn't know what the men planned on doing with her, but as far as he was concerned, he felt better off not knowing. The only challenges he could think of that he was going to encounter was getting the girl alone with him for a certain amount of time, and the fact that he had to cover his trail somehow. He couldn't let anyone find out it was him that set the whole thing up, otherwise he would be killed for certain.

Taking one more look at his wife, Takahiro stood and left to put his hard planning into action.

* * *

--

The day had so far been uneventful, to which Kagome was extremely grateful. Spending some much needed girl time with Sango had been precisely what the doctor ordered, and she was also able to dish about all the goings on that had happened since they separated. As much as Sango tried to play the demure type when it came to men, Kagome knew her all too well and favored her with the juicy details of her saucy encounters with Sesshoumaru.

Sango had blushed, but did not protest to hearing any of it. In fact, after Kagome was finished telling her stories, Sango had taken to mentioning the closer relationship she and Miroku had been having. It wasn't much; holding hands here and there, a quick peck on the cheek or two, and even snuggling a bit at night, but it was definitely progress!

Coming back to the village from their bath, the two of them immediately noticed all the decorations put up around the village. It seemed that the small community was going all out for the banquet in order to make up for their less-than-hospitable actions against her and Sesshoumaru.

Kagome caught Sesshoumaru's gaze and she smiled gently and blushed at his perusal of her form. She could tell that he was putting in a lot of effort to _not_ maiming her friends while they were here, and for that she was extremely grateful. She sauntered up to him suggestively and when she reached his side she asked, "Would you like to go for a walk with me?"

He blinked lazily and then nonchalantly nodded his head. Some time away from her group of merrymakers was something he was looking forward to. That and kissing the woman before him senseless; there was always _that_.

The pair disappeared into the surrounding forest and Inuyasha huffed. "That bastard better keep his hands to himself."

Sango rolled her eyes and shook her head. "She's happy Inuyasha, you should be happy for her."

"Feh! There's no way in hell that she's happy with that stuck up prick! Can't she see how dangerous he is? For that matter, can't _you_ guys see how dangerous he is?!"

"Inuyasha, we've been here for two days and besides the initial brawl between the two of you, Lord Sesshoumaru has yet to show hostility toward any of us," Miroku pointed out. "If he had wanted to kill us all, he would have done so already."

"Whatever, if you want to be all stupid about it, then go ahead. I for one am going to make sure she's safe!" He was about to leap off after them, but just as he was doing so, Kikyo called softly after him.

"Inuyasha, would you spare me a moment before you run off after my reincarnation?" the undead priestess asked. It did the trick and the half demon was instantly at her side.

"Sure Kikyo, anything you want."

She nodded and then took his hand to lead him away from the group. The rest of them were left to watch as they too disappeared from site.

"Everyone sure likes to take walks, don't they?" Shippou asked innocently.

Miroku rubbed the back of his head and then smiled conspiratorially. "My dear lady Sango, would you like to accompany me on-"

"Not now monk," Sango quipped.

"Oh well, perhaps one of the lovely women of the village would like to-" he didn't get to finish his sentence before Sango's boomerang found a nice place to rest against his head.

"Lecher."

* * *

--

His hands were scalding hot against her skin, but it didn't hinder her a bit. As soon as they were a safe distance away from any prying eyes, Sesshoumaru had taken the initiative and pushed her up against the closest tree. Too many interruptions within the last couple of days had left him _wanting_, and Lord Sesshoumaru never wanted for anything!

His lips were pressed tightly against hers while he trailed his claws along her sides. Her small hands worked their way underneath his shirt and against the skin of his abdomen. Oh how she loved to run her hands along his hot flesh. He was smooth, toned, and oh so hot.

Their kisses were almost frantic, but full of fiery passion as he assisted her in taking of his armor and shirt. She immediately trailed kisses down his throat to his collarbone as his hands sought to divest her of her own garments. He felt young again, out in the middle of the woods with a female. It was primal, raw, and sensual all at the same time. Although it had only been yesterday when they had been together like this, it felt like it had been longer. Much longer.

Kagome's top fluttered carelessly to the ground and they pressed against one another seeking the skin on skin contact. Sesshoumaru lightly dragged his hands over her bare skin and up to her breasts. She dropped her head back against the tree and gave off low moans as he nipped at the skin of her throat while massaging her pert mounds.

He just couldn't contain himself around her; she was so soft and supple and did such wonderful and torturous things to him. He hissed through clenched teeth when her hands traveled to his aching arousal to give it an experimental squeeze; she was being quite bold today.

"Impatient today?" he teased her.

She huffed and stopped her ministrations. That wasn't what he wanted. "No, it's just that we keep getting interrupted so I wanted to make the most of the time we had."

He said nothing, but leaned down to capture her lips in a deep kiss. Their tongues intertwined and he took in her distinct flavor before slowly pulling back. Kagome thought he was about to say something, but instead she heard him growl low in his throat.

"What is it?" she asked carefully.

"Your kitsune approaches. It appears our time has been cut short again," he said in annoyance.

Kagome smiled gently at him and gave him a small peck on the lips before she quickly picked up her shirt and put it back on. "It's just as well, we should probably get ready for the banquet anyways; wouldn't want to be late to our own party now, would we?"

She turned towards the village where she was sure to meet Shippou and swung her hips a little more than usual and Sesshoumaru had to suppress the growl rising in his throat. The little tease. He could only count the days when Inuyasha and the other cretins would go on their way. He considered himself a patient demon, but this was getting ridiculous.

He closed his eyes and extended his arm out to the side. With one flick of his wrist a nearby tree met its fate that day at the end of his acid whip. He resigned himself to working off his sexual frustration by way of exercise; the damn villagers could wait for _him_.

* * *

--

By nightfall everyone was ready and excited for the celebration in the village. It had been quite some time since the small community had hosted such an event and everyone was running about to make sure the small details weren't overlooked. Serving a demon lord would also be a first for them; let alone having a half-demon, demon slayer, monk, fox demon kit, a two tail fire cat, and two priestesses joining the foray.

As the group made their way to the village square, some of the townspeople stopped them to greet them and give them friendly smiles of welcome. It was a huge change from the first time they stepped into the village where they were all but shunned and people ran in fear of them. It seemed like Kagome had once again worked her magic and brought of the best in these people. Hell, if she could catch the attention of the demon lord, she could do just about anything!

When they reached the square Kagome and Sesshoumaru were immediately shown to a table that was set up in front of the rest. Since they were the guests of honor they got the privilege of being served their dinner and sake first, much to Inuyasha's consternation. He pouted, but otherwise didn't say anything as the servers continued giving people their dinner.

"Keh! Bout damn time," Inuyasha grumped as they were _finally_ served their dinner, along with a few bottles of sake.

The village let loose and enjoyed themselves around their company and Miroku wasted no time in getting acquainted with a couple of the younger village woman. Of course Sango, being slightly inebriated, did not take much notice seeing as how she was currently blushing at the kind words of one of the nice village men.

Takahiro watched from a distance as Kagome accepted drink after drink that the village men supplied her with under his advice that they should be polite. Being the nice person that Kagome was, she could not bring herself to turn down a free drink that was kindly given to her, so about a half hour into the celebration, the sake was finally becoming too much for her.

Takahiro wasn't the only one watching the young priestess; Kikyo had been a silent observer as well, trying to keep count the number of drinks Kagome had, but lost count when Inuyasha began talking with her. When she saw that Kagome was having a difficult time even sitting still, she knew then that her chance had come.

Excusing herself from the table, the undead priestess made her way up to where Sesshoumaru and Kagome were seated. Sesshoumaru eyed the woman with distrust, but said nothing as she spoke politely to Kagome.

"Kagome, if it is not too much trouble, I was wondering if you would grant me a moment of your time?" Kikyo asked her.

Kagome looked stunned for a moment, but smiled and nodded her head drunkenly before attempting to stand. She laughed at herself for almost falling over, but Kikyo held onto her arms and then looked at Sesshoumaru. "I will not harm her," she told Sesshoumaru pointedly. He sneered a little, but made no protest to stop her.

Kikyo led Kagome away from the crowd, but she could still hear the voices of the villagers who were also beginning to become tipsy from their alcohol consumption. When she felt she was far enough away, Kikyo sat Kagome down on a bench and then reached for the object in her pocket.

Kagome watched curiously as Kikyo held out a stunning ring in front of her face. Kagome looked at Kikyo, then at the ring, then back at Kikyo again.

"It is for you," the elder priestess said vaguely.

In her drunken state, Kagome made no hesitation in taking the pretty shiny ring in her hands. Giving it a once over, Kagome slipped it onto her finger and held her hand up to inspect it. "Th-thank hic you, Kik-yo."

Kikyo smiled triumphantly and figured now was as good a time as any to test out her "gift". She helped Kagome to stand and then started to walk away. "I suppose we should get back to the celebration. We wouldn't want to _stay_ away from it too long."

Kagome almost fell forward when her feet decided they didn't like moving anymore. She may have panicked if she hadn't been so drunk, but as it was she merely looked angrily down at her traitorous appendages. "Oooo," she huffed. "I…I's think I had hic too much sake to drinks I think."

Kikyo closed her eyes in elation; it would teach the girl a good lesson not to abuse her power of the subjugation necklace she had on Inuyasha. As the spell wore off, Kagome slowly inched forward, afraid of her feet deciding they didn't want to move again.

"Come along Kagome," Kikyo said to her. They had only taken a few more steps when Takahiro appeared and he bowed to the both of them in greeting. "Please forgive me priestess, but I was wondering if I could have a word with Kagome. I'll only be a moment."

Kikyo looked back at Kagome who was taking baby steps as she swayed to keep her balance. Figuring she had done what she had set out to accomplish, she nodded and left Kagome and Takahiro alone.

He watched the other priestess leave before he turned back to Kagome. She was three sheets to the wind already and if he hadn't wanted to make certain that she would not wake up, he would just let time work its magic until she passed out on her own. She hadn't even noticed he was there!

Drawing the dagger from his pocket, he walked up to her and quickly slashed at her arm. She winced and said a quiet 'ow' before she collapsed into his arms unconscious. "Forgive me Kagome," he whispered to her as he carried her a little further away. The men he had hired were waiting for him in the designated area and he quickly made the transfer.

"Heed my warnings and do not stop to rest until morning. Do what you can to cover your tracks," Takahiro told them. At their nods of understanding he wrung his hands nervously. "I…I need you to rough me up a bit; it has to look like I had no willing part in this." He had provided them with more than enough money to do this task for him and he handed them an extra pouch for doing this one last thing for him.

The men looked at one another and shrugged before the approached Takahiro and began beating him. It took all he had to not scream out in pain, but he held his tongue and allowed them to beat him almost to unconsciousness. He held up his hand and then told them to go quickly. They did so and he held his stomach in pain as he coughed up a bit of blood. He just hoped that his acting skills were as good as they needed to be.

* * *

--

Sesshoumaru sipped leisurely on his cup of sake while he eyed the crowd. He could feel Inuyasha glaring at him all night, but paid him no heed. If it weren't for Kagome he would have never even come to this get together. He wondered why he allowed his actions to be led by a mere woman, but he supposed it was a bit late in the game to dwell on these things.

He looked down at his empty cup and sighed inaudibly. There just wasn't enough alcohol in this village to make him enjoy himself even remotely. Just how long did these things last anyway? He was about to fill his glass again when something came sailing at his head. He effortlessly reached up and plucked the offending object out of the air before looking at it.

A rock.

Why would anyone be so willing to die as to throw a rock-

Ah, Inuyasha. If the scent on the small boulder didn't give him away, the stupid evil grin on his face was more than enough evidence as to the culprit.

"You try my patience little brother," Sesshoumaru said calmly and quietly, though he knew Inuyasha could hear him clearly.

"Think I'm afraid of you? You keep your fucking hands off Kagome!" Inuyasha said as he snarled at his elder brother.

"I believe we have already settled this matter half-breed. If I recall, you lost and now have no say in where, when, or how _many_ times I touch the priestess," Sesshoumaru said suggestively.

"Why you…Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" the half-demon yelled as he charged Sesshoumaru.

The demon lord easily dodged the predictable attack, but was none-too-pleased that his relatively peaceful time was disrupted, yet again, by one of Inuyasha's outbursts. The table he was sitting comfortably at was soon turned to a pile of splinters and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at him.

"Narrow your eyes at me all ya want ya bastard! There's no way you're gettin' anywhere near her again!" He swiped his claws at him once more, but again missed his target. "Stay still will ya!"

"You are foolish to believe I would listen to the likes of you!" Sesshoumaru snapped. He let his whip form and he cracked at Inuyasha, grazing the side of his leg. The half-demon winced in pain, but didn't let it slow him down. He was striking with a vengeance; there was no way he was going to lose to Sesshoumaru a second time, not when his friend's safety depended on it!

Sango looked on in horror as the two brothers battled. "We have to help him, Sesshoumaru will kill him this time for sure!" She started forward when Miroku caught her arm.

"Miroku, let me go! What's the matter with you?!" she asked frantically as she turned back towards him.

"Sango my love, listen. You of all people should know not to interfere when these two fight. Observe." He turned her around and she watched as Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru jumped, turned, and raced during their fight. They never once pulled their swords on each other, but fought with their natural given talents.

"They're not drawing their weapons," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Indeed. Lord Sesshoumaru is a formidable opponent. Like I said earlier, if he had wanted to kill Inuyasha or us for that matter, he would have already done so. He's had more than enough chance to."

Sango nodded and backed down, but still kept her hand tight on her weapon. One wrong move from the demon lord and she would intervene.

The villagers all looked on terrified as their happy celebration turned into mulch at the hands of the demons. This was why they had kept themselves isolated for so long! When they didn't have to worry about other people ruining their carefully constructed village and their peaceful lives they rested easy at night. It was all a bad mistake allowing them into their community.

Sango shook her head at the mess the two brothers were making and turned away from the humiliating scene. She halfway expected this kind of behavior from Inuyasha, but for Sesshoumaru to so readily jump into a fight like this was downright _wrong_.

Staggered movement caught her eye and she turned to see what it was. The man from the village that had greeted them upon their arrival was limping heavily towards them and a couple other men rushed over to help him. Sango jogged up to him while they were maneuvering him onto a bench.

"What happened, are you okay?" Sango asked with genuine worry.

Takahiro looked up at her through the eye that wasn't swollen shut and cringed when the movement strained the abused flesh and muscles of his neck and face. He hurt in places he didn't even know he had, but if it helped him with his alibi then so be it.

"I…I was talking to the young…priestess. Then out of nowhere a bunch of…men, they-they surrounded me, ambushed us…they…they…" he coughed up blood and spat it on the ground.

Sango caught on a bit and lifted her head to look around for her friend. She could not see her anywhere and she started to panic. "Where's Kagome?" she asked forcefully.

Takahiro looked down in shame, actually feeling the weight of his crime on his shoulders. "They took…her," he said finally. Sango could feel her anger rise and she clenched her fists in fury.

This couldn't be happening again, not to Kagome. They almost lost her to the afterlife once before, and that was one time too many. Whoever took her was going to pay dearly, of that she would be certain.

Sango stormed away from Takahiro and made her way to where Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were still going at it like crazed idiots.

Sesshoumaru was in the middle of landing a solid punch to Inuyasha's nose when he heard a screeching coming from a little ways away. After making contact and sending Inuyasha flying he finally turned towards the sound. His half-brother was slowly getting up from his prone position and about to charge when they both heard the demon-slayer yell.

"STOP IT! Both of you STOP!!"

The village square became deathly quiet and the brothers turned towards a visibly shaken Sango. "Kag-Kagome she…"

Sesshoumaru was instantly in front of Sango and she took a quick step back at the intrusion. Sesshoumaru glared at her before speaking dangerously low. "Where _is_ she?"

"…she's been abducted."

* * *

**_Damn, that girl just can't stay out of trouble can she?! Don't worry, I've a feeling she won't be some little damsel in distress; she's a tough one! Just a reminder, check out the new Sess/Kag site: Dokuga . com ! It's coming along beautifully and there are a lot of great authors posting their work there! Look me up too :D_**

* * *


	25. Elemental Challenge

**_Okay, I made sure this chapter was a bit longer to make up for the absense which, by the way, I am exceedingly sorry for! New job, starting school, blah blah blah, it's late, so sue me (not really)._**

**_Thank you so much for your support; your reviews kept me motivated! Really, keep em comin', it helps!_**

**_Thank you to my beta Imanewme (check out her stories, you won't be disappointed)._**

**_Okay, on with it. Enjoy!_**

* * *

-- CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: ELEMENTAL CHALLENGE --

Kagome groaned as once again her pillow decided to hit back when she tried fluffing it. She was just trying to get comfortable! Her back ached, her head was pounding, her arm was sore, and to make matters worse, she _really_ had to pee. She groaned in pain again as the place she was resting jostled her harshly and she cracked an eye open to try and figure out what all the fuss was about.

"This is the worst bed ever," she grumbled still half asleep.

The man carrying her stopped and told his companions that she was waking up. He unceremoniously dropped her like a rag doll on the ground and the men circled around her, preparing for her inevitable tirade. Kagome groaned while sitting up and looked up trying to get her eyes to focus on the blurry objects around her. She hiccupped and fell back onto the ground and the guys laughed heartily.

"Little thing is drunk! She can barely remain sitting up," one of the men scoffed. The man who was carrying her rolled his shoulders to stretch after hauling her for the past couple miles. Another one brought out his bottle of sake that had been held securely in his pouch and took a nice long drink. This wasn't the first job like this they had had. They were paid fairly well for their services and had even developed a nice routine together.

However, unlike their previous jobs, this one seemed to put them all on edge. They could feel an ominous cloud hanging over their journey, and all were ready to continue on with their task. Ever little bump in the night made the hair on the backs of their necks stand on end. Something was watching them.

"How long are we gonna run? Let's just kill her and get it over with," a younger one said while looking around the dark forest nervously. He hated it out here and if it wasn't for the prospect of getting back a rather large amount of money he would have bolted a long time ago. His discontent for the current situation was making the other men nervous and they all stood straight up and cast their eyes upon the surrounding darkness, trying desperately to see something in the dead of night.

A soft moan made them jump, but they all relaxed marginally when they realized it was only coming from the small woman on the ground. The man who had carried her walked over to her prone form and kicked her none-to-gently in the side. She groaned again and slowly opened her eyes.

"Who…where am I?" she asked groggily. "Where's Sesshoumaru?"

The man knelt down next to her and grabbed her by the hair to pull her head back. She protested loudly to the abuse, but he paid no heed to her yelp. "I don't know who this –maru person is, but it don't matter anymore." He stood up while keeping a tight hold on her hair, making her cry out once more in pain. She came to rest on her knees and she grabbed at the man's wrist trying to get out of his grip.

"Let me go!"

The man laughed and gave her head a good shake to demonstrate to her that he had a tight hold that he was not going to release. Kagome dug her fingernails as far as she could into his hand, forcing him to let go of her hair when he felt her break skin. "Fuck! Damn bitch made me bleed!"

The three other men laughed as they watched their comrade nurse his wound, but did not lose sight of their captive as she tried to crawl her way away from them. One of them shook his head and walked towards her, kicking her hands out from under her making her fall to the ground.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he mocked. Kagome spit dirt out of her mouth and looked back at him with an icy glare.

She swung her leg at his ankles in one rapid movement and sent him crashing down on his back. She sprung to her feet and thought to run, but before she could take a single step her wrist was captured and she was hauled back into a hard chest.

"We were gonna make this as quick and painless as possible, but if you keep giving us trouble you're gonna soon beg us for death," the third man whispered in her ear causing unpleasant shivers to course over her.

Kagome could feel the lack of strength she held in her muscles, but couldn't remember why she felt so drained. She wanted to fight back and show these guys that it was a stupid idea to mess with her, but she couldn't summon the strength to do so. She squirmed a bit in the guy's hold, but he tightened his grip and threw an arm around her neck.

"Quit movin'. We could just tie you to a tree and let the goblins get you, or perhaps you'd prefer being torn limb from limb by a demon?"

"Natsuo?" the younger of them said in a shaky voice. The man holding her sighed and then turned to look behind him.

"What?" he snapped.

"Th-there's not _really_ goblins in this forest…is there?

Kagome heard the guy holding her mumble something under his breath before he turned them both around to face the young one. "Don't worry Toshi, we'll just use her as a sacrifice in case the big bad goblins decide to come get you."

The three men laughed at their young comrade's expense, but a chill in the wind brought them all to silence. Their eyes all darted around in the dark and Kagome could feel fear creeping into her own skin. Something was out there and it was powerful.

A rustle in the bushes had them all on guard and they turned towards the sound instinctively. Their eyes widened in fear as bright glowing red orbs locked onto theirs. "Wh-what the fuck is that?!"

Quicker than the eye could see, the men were cut down where they stood, not even given a second's chance to defend themselves. Kagome clambered to her feet and stared in awe at the being before her.

His long two-toned hair swayed around him in the breeze and his skin seemed to glow underneath the light of the moon. His tall stature loomed over Kagome and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks at the intensity in his eyes. He seemed to be studying her and Kagome shifted on her feet, willing herself to not get lost in those dark eyes.

"Th-thank you for saving me," she said quietly. When he said nothing in return, she gulped and began to back away. "Well, um…goodbye."

"Your name," he said in a deep, rich voice. Kagome could feel tingles working their way down her spine at the sound of the deep timber. She couldn't breathe; something about him was wrong, very wrong. "Kagome is it not?"

Her eyes widened. "How do you know my name?" she asked sternly. "Who are you?"

He took a closer step forward but Kagome couldn't move. She looked down at her feet and noticed vines clung to her ankles, holding her firmly in place. Her head shot back up when she noticed his feet were in her view and she gasped at his proximity. Grabbing her chin gently, he turned her head from side to side in order to take a closer look.

"You can address me as Hukio," he said finally. "Tell me priestess; why is it that Naraku had such a difficult time killing you? You do not seem so special to me; is there something I am missing?" He leaned his head in towards her and took in a deep breath of her scent at her neck. Kagome blushed brightly and bit her lip, reminding herself that this guy was a stranger and extremely powerful. She couldn't lose focus.

"Hm. Interesting."

Kagome waited for him to elaborate, but he said nothing more. "Let me go," she said weakly. He stood back up to his full height and gifted her with a fanged smirk that could have stopped traffic.

"Dare I ask priestess; where is your entourage?"

Kagome opened and closed her mouth a few times. She couldn't read this demon's aura very well and was having a hard time assessing if he was a friend or enemy. He hadn't really done anything to make her believe he was against her, but the mention of Naraku had her on edge. "What do you want?" she asked him bluntly.

Hukio smirked once more and absently studied his fingernails. In the blink of an eye he had reached out and grabbed Kagome by the neck, lifting her off the ground. She gagged a bit from the grip he had and fought to loosen his hold. He shook her hard, making her legs flail about under her as her feet were no longer touching the ground.

"I want power, priestess. I want to see the world tremble in fear before me; I want omnipotence, and I want to show the world that I had the power to succeed where my creator could not. Starting with you." His grip tightened a fraction more before he froze, his eyes narrowing to mere slits as he looked to his side.

"I see one of you has finally made it. Just in time for you to see me break her neck."

* * *

--

"Abducted?! Well where the fuck is she?!" Inuyasha screamed furiously.

Sango glared at the half-demon and pursed her lips. "If we knew that, don't you think we'd be going after her?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and snarled. "Keh! Let's go get her before she gets into even more trouble." He turned to where his half-brother had been, but swung his head around in search for him when he saw that he wasn't there. He rolled his eyes when he found Sesshoumaru holding that guy, Takahiro, by the neck. "Bastard," he mumbled under his breath. Not caring what Sesshoumaru was doing, Inuyasha took off into the forest to try and track Kagome's scent.

Sesshoumaru stared the cretin down and brought his face close to his. Takahiro shook with fear as he watched a bit of red tinge in the demon's eyes. "Tell me," Sesshoumaru said in a deep, nearly guttural voice. "Why is it that I smell her blood on you?"

Takahiro gulped down the lump in his throat and could feel himself shaking from his head to his toes. "I-I-I don't kn-know what you're t-talking about." Sesshoumaru squeezed the man's windpipes even harder, making him desperately gasp for air.

"I can sense your lie," the demon lord said while watching the man's eyes. It was just and instant, but Takahiro flicked his eyes downward towards his left and Sesshoumaru grinned evilly. "Hn," he said as he reached into Takahiro's pocket.

The village man paled as the dagger Naraku had given him was revealed to the demon lord. He watched as Sesshoumaru took a tentative sniff of the object and then once again locked eyes with him. The promise of pain that he saw there made him nearly wet himself in fear.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart," Sesshoumaru growled dangerously. He knew he didn't like the man from the first moment he saw him. The guy was just too secretive and had mood swings to rival even Kagome's own. He had always been a good judge of character and this time was no different. The man was a conniving dirtbag, not deserving of life.

"Puh…please," Takahiro squeaked.

"You dare beg me for salvation after what you have done?"

"I-I was tricked! I…please, I never wanted to hurt her…"

Sesshoumaru turned towards the monk and demon slayer and tossed Takahiro at them, making him land on the ground painfully. "I will deal with him when I return. For now, watch him and make sure he does not run away."

Miroku and Sango nodded obediently and lifted Takahiro by the arms so that he was once again on his feet. Sesshoumaru sneered at Takahiro once more before he turned away and took off in search of Kagome.

As soon as the demon lord was out of sight, Takahiro began struggling in Sango and Miroku's hold, trying desperately to get out. "Please have mercy on me, when he comes back he will kill me! Let me go!" he wailed pitifully.

Sango flexed his arm in a way that made him cry out in pain and stop his struggles. She smirked when Miroku looked over at her in shock, having never seen her use such a method before. He turned back to Takahiro and told him pointedly, "Trust me, if you run he _will _find you, and when he does, you'll be wishing for death."

Takahiro stopped trying to get free from them and hung his head low. "I'm already dead."

Sango and Miroku shared a look before they led Takahiro to one of the small huts for confinement while the villagers looked on at the mess left by the two brawling demons. The demon lord had been indifferent to their small village, but had never destroyed it before tonight. The half-demon that came into the village a couple days ago had been very nice and seemed calm enough, but after this display, none of them would so readily welcome them into their village.

However, although they were put off by the two demons that decided to use their town square as their own personal fighting grounds, most of them were genuinely worried about the young priestess that had come to be a recognized part of their village. The elder priestess, Megumi, was standing at the edge of the village, looking towards where she could feel Kagome's aura and chanting silent prayers for her student and friend. The girl had taught these villagers many things in just the short amount of time she had been there, and she could only hope that her demon lord friend would get to her in time.

* * *

--

"You reek of Naraku. I take it you're one of his minions?" a gruff voice sounded from the shadows of the tree line.

Hukio turned his head to face the intruder, hatred seeping from his pours. "That fool was _not _my master!" he yelled at the figure submerging from the trees. Hukio focused his attention on the fur clad wolf, giving Kagome time to calm herself just enough so she could focus on her power and scorch the demon's hands that held her. He screamed in pain and released her just before Kouga dashed at him and landed a hard kick to his back that sent him flying into a tree.

Kouga turned to Kagome who was slowly rising to her feet and helped her up. "Are you okay? And where to fuck is dog breath?!"

"I'm right here ya mangy wolf! Get your hands offa Kagome!"

"You're lucky I was here or that freak-show would have killed her! Just where the hell were you?!"

Kagome wearily watched the two of them bicker back and forth, but kept her eyes stealthily on the demon that had held her at his mercy. When she saw subtle movements come from the downed demon Kagome decided to get their attention again.

"Hey guys…"

That didn't work, they were still bickering like hens. Kagome saw Hukio sit upright and put a hand to his head.

"Um, guys?"

Hukio stood up and glared dangerously at the three of them. Kagome watched as he closed his eyes and she could feel the ground beneath their feet begin to move.

"Guys!"

The two of them _finally_ stopped arguing to turn to Kagome, a bit upset that they had been interrupted during their spat. "What?!" they both snapped at her.

Kagome glared at them but her eyes soon widened when the small movements of the ground became even more pronounced, sending them all flailing about trying to keep their upright balance.

"What the hell is goin' on?!" Inuyasha screamed.

He looked over at Kagome to make sure she was okay and saw her staring wide-eyed at something over in the distance. He turned his attention that way to find a glowing figure being raised up into the air by vines protruding from the earth below him. With a wave of the demon's hands, the ground split beneath their feet. Inuyasha and Kouga barely had time to jump out of the way before they were swallowed up by the earth, but Kagome wasn't so lucky.

She screamed as she could no longer touch the ground and she plummeted feet first into the opened maw of the ground. She desperately reached up with her hands to try and find anything to grab onto, but there was nothing within reach.

"Kagome!" Kouga and Inuyasha yelled simultaneously when they saw her fall into the earth. Their muscles twitched in anticipation of the sprint they were about to make in order to save her, but a large gust of wind knocked them off their feet before they could make a move.

Inuyasha pulled out his sword and dug it into the ground to try and stop his forced retreat, paying no mind to what happened to Kouga, just knowing that he had to somehow get to his friend. He could no longer hear her screaming over the strong howling of the wind and he grew desperate. The strong wind that was forcing him to walk nearly horizontally stopped suddenly and sent him face first into the dirt. The demon responsible laughed in amusement as Inuyasha spit dirt out of his mouth, growling at his predicament.

"Just who…the fuck…are you?" the half-demon asked between spitting.

The demon atop the growing vines smirked down at him, loving the fact that he got to announce himself reverently. "I am Hukio: a commander of the elements, the elder and the stronger sibling of three others, and soon to be deliverer of your death. I am-"

"Running your mouth entirely too much for this Sesshoumaru's liking," the demon lord interrupted.

Inuyasha looked up to see Kagome resting comfortably in his half-brother's arms with her arms slung around his neck. He scowled at their intimate position, but silently thanked Sesshoumaru for saving Kagome when he couldn't. He just couldn't get used to seeing Kagome being so close to the demon that has tormented him for most of his life. With a snarl, Inuyasha righted himself and deftly pulled his sword out of the ground and pointed it at Hukio.

"I don't know who you are," Hukio began, "but no one interrupts me without facing the consequences."

Inuyasha snorted and looked over to Sesshoumaru. "He sounds like you. I don't know if I can handle _two_ stuck up jackasses."

Sesshoumaru ignored his half-brother's comment, but Kagome sent a scowl Inuyasha's way for being so rude. He pinned his ears to his head, but then crossed his arms and turned away from her, muttering a 'feh' as he did so. Kouga stumbled into the clearing looking a little worse for wear, and shot Kagome and Sesshoumaru a confused look before turning to Inuyasha.

"Good thing your brother was here, can't count on you now can I?" Kouga said while sneering at the half-demon.

"Half-brother. And you're one to talk ya mangy wolf! Just where the hell were you?!"

Kouga pursed his lips and stayed silent. He wasn't about to tell them that his foot had been caught in a tree branch and he was hanging upside down, trying his hardest to get out. Inuyasha gave a fanged grin and slung his sword over his shoulder in victory. "I knew, it! You can barely take care of yourself, let alone anyone else!"

A look of annoyance flashed over Hukio's face; they were ignoring him as if he were nothing! They would soon come to know their mistake. He stretched his arms out and spread his fingers wide. "Enough!" he shouted, gaining everyone's attention again. "You fools will regret the day you met me!"

"Too late for that," Kagome mumbled.

They could feel the wind starting up again and braced themselves for another onslaught. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at his opponent. _'A commander of the elements, is he?'_ he thought snidely. Setting Kagome down gently and placing her behind his back, Sesshoumaru flexed his claws and took aim, sending out his whip towards the demon that dared to hurt _his_ priestess.

Hukio's concentration wavered as he saw a bright green light headed for him and barely had time to dodge Sesshoumaru's attack. He narrowed his eyes and Kagome swore she saw fire burning in them, making her clutch the back of Sesshoumaru's shirt a little tighter. It wasn't that she was not ready for fighting, it was just that she could feel the alcohol still in her system, making her unsteady on her feet, and the cut on her arm was throbbing fiercely.

Kagome wavered lightly on her feet, but righted herself before anyone noticed. She looked over to Inuyasha and Kouga, trying to see if they were still doing okay. They were both concentrating intently on Hukio, waiting for him to make the next move. She could feel Sesshoumaru's muscles under his shirt bunch and she knew he was getting ready to pounce. She wanted to help! She wanted to shove her foot so far up that demon's ass for putting his hands on her. She wanted to show Inuyasha and Kouga just how much she had learned over her time spent in the village and what a positive influence Sesshoumaru has been on her.

Sesshoumaru looked back at her for a brief moment. He could feel the readiness in her spirit; she wanted to fight. However, he also saw her fatigue and could smell blood on her. As much as he wanted her to be able to test her newfound strengths, there was no way he was letting her do that under such circumstances.

"Stay," he commanded before he took off towards Hukio like a flash of lightning. Kagome was about to chase after him, but found that she could not move her feet. She looked down to make sure nothing was holding her in place and was even more confused when she saw nothing hindering her.

"What the…?"

"Kagome, move!" Inuyasha screamed from a distance.

Kagome snapped her neck up and her eyes widened when she saw a ball of fire coming straight for her. She braced herself for the impact and the excruciating pain that was to come, but someone scooped her up instead, barely missing the fireball.

Kagome looked up into the face of her savior and Kouga looked down at her with worry in his eyes. "Are you okay? Why didn't you move?!"

"I…couldn't," she said quietly.

"Just try and be careful okay; can't have anything bad happen to my woman," the wolf demon said as he sat her down further away from battle ground. "Don't worry about anything, just stay here and I'll take care of that freak show." He took off in a whirlwind, leaving behind a frustrated priestess.

Kagome tried once again to move her feet, but couldn't. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice but to stay here," she grumbled. She couldn't figure out why her feet decided to disobey her recently, but something like this could get her into trouble, as it had already proved.

She looked to where the guys were fighting, hoping that this one would go down easily. Her hopes were dwindling when she saw Inuyasha being tossed around like a rag doll in mini-tornado, all the while cursing obscenities and trying to find a way out of the twister.

Kouga just rejoined the fray and he aimed a kick at Hukio, coming down upon him at an alarming rate. Kouga's foot was about to make contact with Hukio's head when a few thorny vines grasped his ankle and neck, rendering him immobile. The thorns pierced his skin and drew blood, but Kouga refused to cry out and instead growled threateningly.

Hukio smiled evilly at the two he had subdued. He then turned his gaze to the dog demon in white. "You're turn."

"Hn."

The two of them stood at a face-off, each waiting for the other to take the first move. Sesshoumaru was waiting for the most opportune time to strike, for that single moment when his opponent did not have his full attention on him.

Hukio smirked at the demon in front of him. This one was strong. He could feel the power radiating off of him and it excited him to think that he could show off his own strengths on one such as he. All he had to do was find a weakness; just one weakness to throw him off.

"The half-demon is your brother, is he not?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but continued to stare uncaringly.

Hukio 'hmm-ed' and nodded his head a bit. The half-demon was obviously not a soft spot for the demon. He could take a guess that the wolf meant even less to him, which only left the girl to try.

"It's a good thing the wolf came when he did; killing humans is frightfully boring and that one over there was mere second away from having her neck snapped."

It was a subtle movement; so unnoticeable that if Hukio were not staring so intently at Sesshoumaru, he may not have caught it. Through their standoff, no movement was made whatsoever, but at the mention of the girl in mortal peril, the dog demon blinked once. Just once, but it was enough for Hukio to know that it had gotten to him. Now, what to do with this information.

Sesshoumaru continued to wait for his cue, his patience being tested while he did so. He thought to just attack, but gave himself a couple more moments to see if he would make the mistake of losing concentration. His patience paid off when Hukio's eyes flickered to Kagome.

Without a second thought Sesshoumaru charged, Tokijin raised and aimed straight for Hukio's heart. With his concentration lost, the small tornado trapping Inuyasha and the vines holding Kouga disappeared, dropping them carelessly to the ground. They both quickly got to their feet and observed the two demons fighting.

Hukio had formed a spear made somehow of ice and rock, and it was doing an impressive job of holding up to Tokijin's power. Their blades clashed together, causing ear-piercing clangs to sound throughout the clearing. Both were fairly matched in strength, but Sesshoumaru had the upper hand in speed. Hukio was having a hard time keeping up with the demon lord, resulting in a few deep cuts on his arms. He swung his makeshift swords at Sesshoumaru, and the demon lord leapt back, dodging the blade easily.

Hukio used his dominant power and once again called out vines and weeds from the ground to grow up and around Sesshoumaru who began cutting them down effortlessly. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles in anticipation; now it was his turn to get some payback on the elemental bastard.

Inuyasha raised his sword and brought it down quickly, a call of "Windscar!" signaling his attack. Hukio looked at Inuyasha with wide eyes. He shot into the air, riding the wind currents and just missing being torn to shreds by the half-demon's attempt.

"Fools! Don't think you have seen the last of me; I shall return when it is more of a fair fight!" he screamed as he sent one last wave of fire towards the group. None cared to go after him, knowing that they would soon see him again and that the coward was obviously afraid of them to have retreated.

Sesshoumaru stood his ground as the fire rushed towards him. He glared at the object menacingly, and while he liked to think that it was his glare that made the thing puff out like a snuffed candle, he knew it was merely because the demon in control of it was out of range for his concentration to hold it together.

"Pathetic," he stated dryly. With one last disgusted snarl, Sesshoumaru turned towards Kagome only to find the stupid wolf hanging all over her and his half-brother yelling at said wolf demon to get his filthy paws off of where they don't belong. To this, Sesshoumaru silently agreed.

He stayed away from the three of them, choosing instead to lean quietly against a tree and watch from a distance. He would not run to her like some love-struck pup, he was above that. He didn't have to like it, but if she chose to converse with those two idiots, then he would not stop her; so long as they kept it clean. Heads would roll if the wolf suddenly channeled the lecherous monk.

Kagome shook her head in tired amusement; choosing to write off her feet not moving the couple times as an effect of alcohol mixed with the cut on her arm in which she knew was more than just a mere scrape. She looked at her two arguing friends and the looked around the clearing for Sesshoumaru, seeing him propped against a tree and staring directly at her. She blushed and walked towards him, unnoticed by the two who were still bickering.

She walked until she was so close she had to tilt her head back to look at him. She graced him with a sheepish smile and then wrapped her arms around his torso. His back stiffened at first, but then he relaxed and leaned down to take a small whiff of her hair. He would never admit how worried he was when he found out she was missing, but she knew; otherwise he would have never come for her.

"Thank you for coming for me and saving me. I would probably be somewhere in the middle of the earth right now if it wasn't for you."

His breath fanned her skin as he brought his lips close to her ear. "You are to never drink again," he whispered to her. He then lowered his head and took a deep breath of her at her neck, causing her to shiver and get small goose bumps up and down her arms. Her arms tightened around him and she then got a devious smirk on her face.

Kagome lowered her hands and did something she had been longing to do for quite some time. Her hands rested on Sesshoumaru's backside and she gave a firm squeeze to his muscled cheeks. He growled low and brought his lips back up to her ear. "You play a dangerous game, woman." She giggled and was about to respond, but was interrupted.

"Ah hell, would you two _not_ do that around me?!" Inuyasha yelled out.

Kouga was stuck gaping like a fish out of water and pointing. He clenched his fist the, ready to stake his claim when Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Do not," he warned the furious wolf.

"Just who the hell do you think you're talking to, pretty boy?! I saw her first and-"

"Kouga please don't," Kagome stated strongly. She looked at him with pleading eyes and Kouga ground his teeth together.

"This is what you want?" the wolf demon asked her.

Kagome nodded her head assuredly and Kouga deflated a little before he puffed his chest out again, his pride making him get over his rejection fast. "Well, just keep me in mind when you realize he's not as good as you thought he was."

Kagome smiled, but Inuyasha scowled. He was hoping to watch Sesshoumaru and Kouga fight…and maybe kill each other; that would solve his problems. They small group watched as Kouga took off once again, leaving nothing but a trail of dust in his wake.

Sesshoumaru raised himself from the tree and Kagome loosened her hold around him. He looked down at her and brushed a piece of hair out of her face, making her blush prettily and making Inuyasha snort in disgust. "Come, I have business to attend to in the village as well as a mess the half-breed and I need to clean up."

Kagome looked at him questioningly, but knew she would not get an answer out of him until they reached the village. Inuyasha jumped into the lead, refusing to follow behind them and Kagome fell in step beside Sesshoumaru, grateful for the fact that she would _finally_ get to pee. All were lost in their own thoughts as they walked back to camp in silence, the day taking its toll on their tired muscles and minds.

* * *

**_Well, there you have it! FINALLY a stinkin' chapter. Seriously, I worked on this for 3 weeks easy trying to get it out. I hope you liked it, I want some Sess/Kag interaction next chapter, so hopefully it'll agree with me. Please review and let me know what you think! -Muah!-  
_**


	26. Trouble Follows

_**OMG! She updated! I know, it's been like, 3 months since I've updated this story and for that I apologize. I started school again, so that took up my time, and this chapter took longer to write than I would have liked. In any case, I would like to thank every single one of you who took the time to review! It means a lot to me, and I hope you will still follow this story, though I can't blame you if you don't.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: TROUBLE FOLLOWS**

Kagome felt a distinct twitch beginning to make itself known in her right eye and she clenched her fists and teeth in anger, trying not to _completely_ lose her cool. The sight that had greeted her upon returning to the village was not at all what she had been expecting.

She was going to kill them. Dead.

Then, she was going to bring them back to life somehow and kill them again, just to make sure she had killed them good enough for her liking. How could those two idiots do something like this?!

The village was _thrashed_. Huts were leveled, the tables they had been eating at were now splinters, food and trash was strewn all over the village square, and the poor villagers were left to try and salvage what they could of their poor little homes. Kagome couldn't remember ever being this mad before. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to _hurt_ them.

Rounding on the two culprits, Kagome pointed an accusing finger in their direction and sputtered for a couple seconds before her voice finally found her. "What did you two _do_?!" she screamed at her half-demon best friend and then the demon that she had spent so much time with recently.

Inuyasha at least had the decency to flatten his ears to his skull and look ashamed. Sesshoumaru stood as tall and demanding as ever, looking to the world like he was not currently being scolded by a little priestess. She narrowed her eyes at him and his indifference and crossed her arms. She was waiting for either one, or both, of them to explain just what the hell happened to the quaint little village she had called home for the past few months.

After a tense silence, Inuyasha straightened his back and pointed his finger in Sesshoumaru's direction. "He started it!"

"Lies do not become you, little brother."

"Keh! This is all your fault in the first place. Why'd you have to even be here to begin with? Don't you have other, more _lordly_, things to do?"

"My business is my own."

"Of course, how convenient. Just admit it; you're to blame for all of this!"

"I think not."

"Think so!"

A loud shriek rang across the ruined village square, making people stop what they were doing and look towards the source. Kagome had her hands fisted tightly in her hair with her eyes clenched shut. Inuyasha gulped and Sesshoumaru straightened his back before flicking his fingers through his hair to place the strands over his shoulder. The unpleasant noise put a stop to the two brothers' arguing and Kagome finally had both of their rapt attentions.

"Look," she said hotly. "I don't care which one of you started it, but this mess had better be cleaned up! Do you even realize what kind of damage you have done here? Not just physical, but emotional as well. Sesshoumaru, you of all people should know how far these villagers have come and for what? For some stupid sibling rivalry to undo all the hard work?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the daring female. She was taking many liberties speaking to him as such, and he was uncertain how much longer he would allow her to do so without any repercussions. Yes, he knew that allowing his brother to goad him into fighting was a bit childish, but the frail emotions of a tiny village were of no importance to him. Once Kagome had finished her training with the old priestess, he planned on leaving the small community and never returning. So what did it matter to him if they feared demons again? It would probably be in their best interest anyway, to not be so inviting with them.

"You don't care at all do you?" Kagome asked as she noticed the far-off look in Sesshoumaru's eyes. He had tuned her out some three minutes ago and she had just about enough of his stoicism for one day.

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her unflinchingly, and Kagome shrugged in exasperation. "I'm going to get Sango and go for a bath. I don't care what you two do anymore, just…leave me alone."

Kagome turned away from them and headed off in search of her friend and Shippou, he would probably like to come too. When she was out of sight Sesshoumaru heard a snort from beside him and look out of the corner of his eye to see Inuyasha staring at him with a stupid grin on his face. He closed his eyes lightly and sighed.

"What is the purpose for your staring at this Sesshoumaru?"

Inuyasha's grin took on an evil characteristic. "You're in so much trouble. Man, I'd hate to be you right now," he said as he began picking up some of the mess. He cackled happily to himself, thinking of all the wonderful ways Kagome would punish the poor bastard. She could be scary when she was mad.

"I do not fear the wrath of a little human priestess," the demon lord stated haughtily.

He earned another amused snort from his half-brother for the remark.

"You find something amusing?"

Inuyasha only shrugged. For someone who had lived for so long, Sesshoumaru was surprisingly naïve when it came to women. Though he had to admit, Kagome was unlike any woman he'd ever come across before. The girl had an iron will and a mouth to back it up.

"Just don't say I didn't warn you," Inuyasha told him smugly as he continued to pick up the mess he and Sesshoumaru had made.

The demon lord stared off to the place Kagome had disappeared to and narrowed his eyes. He did not have time for such nonsense; there was an arrogant demon on the loose and the last thing he needed was for some young woman to think she could just waltz into his life and start berating him like a child.

'_Although,'_ he thought to himself, _'the young priestess did prove quite…entertaining at times.'_

Decision made, Sesshoumaru strode across the grounds towards the forest.

"Just where the hell you think you're goin'? You gotta clean this shit up too!" Inuyasha bellowed.

Ignoring the half-demon, Sesshoumaru kept his gait steady and readied his ears for the yelling he was no doubt, about to endure. His thoughts settled along the lines of gagging her so that he didn't have to put up with her screeching, and he calmly made his way to where he knew she and the slayer were bathing.

She could not think that she could yell at him and get away with it.

*-*-*-*

Miroku stood guard just outside of the windowless hut that housed Takahiro, awaiting Sesshoumaru to come and exact punishment for handing Kagome over to those hired thugs so that they could kill her. The monk tightened his hands around his holy staff at that thought. If he didn't fear bearing the brunt of Sesshoumaru's wrath for killing the man, he would have done so gladly. Kagome was like family to him, along with the rest of the group, and so he felt some semblance of responsibility for them.

Miroku turned his ear towards the inside of the hut when he heard mumbling coming from his "prisoner". The man had been talking to himself of nonsense ever since he was brought here; whispered words of "Naraku", "kill", and "wife" was caught often and it gave Miroku the creeps.

He turned his head back around and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Kikyo standing a little ways from him, staring at him and the hut. He put his hand over his heart and bowed slightly.

"Kikyo, is there something I can help you with?" he asked politely.

The undead priestess regarded him for a moment and then looked pointedly to the hut. "Your captive is possessed. It would be wise to take precautions with him," she said before turning away.

Miroku watched the woman leave and then pursed his lips in thought. If what she said was true, it would explain his ramblings, and he would indeed need to be careful. He hoped that Lord Sesshoumaru wasn't planning on keeping him on guard for much longer, he wasn't sure if he could withhold from plastering the man with holy sutras, and if the demon lord wanted answers, then it would more than likely have to come from the demon taking possession of the man.

Miroku pinched the bridge of his nose and listened to the man inside once again talk with the demon in his head. The conversation he was having this time around caught the monk off guard; he was making promises to his possessor if he would only untie the rope bounding his hands. Miroku threw the bamboo mat aside that was covering the door and step quickly inside. His eyes searched the dark hut frantically for his prisoner, and when he finally spotted him, he had a wicked grin on his contorted face.

"Night night monk," was the last thing Miroku heard before his world went black.

*-*-*-*

Sango walked just behind her friend as she stomped her way through the forest towards the hot spring. She could guess at what had her friend in such a foul mood, and she was reluctant to get any closer to her, lest she take out some of that aggression on her. Shippou braved riding on her shoulder, but was clinging on for dear life as the small priestess trampled through the forest. Hopefully once they got into the hot springs, Kagome's mood would lighten, otherwise they were all in for a long night.

Much to the small group's relief, the water came into view, and none too soon, if Sango's sigh of relief was any indicator. Quietly and quickly the trio stripped and sunk into the warm waters, allowing their muscles to relax after a taxing day. The steam from the hot spring wafted up and clouded the small area as the sun began to set behind the trees, casting a warm orange glow around them. Shippou splashed noisily next to the women, but they paid him no mind.

Kagome let out a long sigh and sunk just a little further in the water. Sango glanced over at her friend with a sad smile.

"Do you want to talk about it?" the slayer asked.

Kagome dropped her shoulders and pouted. "No."

"Okay. How about we-"

"It's just that those _boys_ can be such a handful sometimes!" Kagome spoke out. Sango smiled at her friend's quick change of heart on talking and listened intently to Kagome's rant.

"Sesshoumaru knows how those villagers act towards demons, and yet he allowed Inuyasha to egg him on until they got into a fight and destroyed the town square. I swear those brothers are more trouble than they're worth."

Sango nodded in silent agreement. "We've really missed you Kagome. I know Inuyasha acts like a dolt sometimes, but he really couldn't wait to see you again. It was quite a surprise to find you with Sesshoumaru when we got here."

Kagome laughed lightly, remembering the look on her friend's faces when they found her in the demon lord's arms. "Trust me, I'm still coming to terms with our budding relationship. It's just so weird to think about me with Sesshoumaru. For so long he has been this unreachable, dangerous, beautiful demon. I mean, he still is all that, but now…he's a little less unattainable."

Sango cleared her throat and blushed. "So, um…h-how is your relationship with Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Kagome smiled lightly, but then frowned a little in thought. "Well, it was going fine, but I'm just so mad at him right now! All he cares about is himself and what he wants to do; forget about the consequences of his actions, he could care less."

Sango nodded. That wasn't exactly what she wanted to know, but if it helped her friend through her anger, than she would listen. It was worth another shot though.

"Have you two…well, I mean…are the two of you…_intimate_?" she asked, placing emphasis on the last word.

Kagome thought about the question for only a couple of seconds before Sango's intended question made itself clear. Blushing a magnificent shade of red, Kagome cleared her throat and turned her head. She looked to where Shippou was busy chasing a small frog and figured she was free to talk "girl talk".

"We've done…stuff. We haven't done _that_ yet-"

"Yet?!"

"Shhh! No, not yet. We're taking it one step at a time, but the things we _do_ do are…nice," she said with a light smile playing across her lips.

Sango hummed in happiness for her friend. Kagome needed someone that would treat her right and make her happy, and judging by the cheesy grin her friend was sporting, Sesshoumaru had been the one to give her that.

The demon slayer opened her mouth to speak again before she froze, eyes wide as she stared at the space behind Kagome. Noticing that something had caught Sango's attention, Kagome turned and looked, only to gulp when her eyes came in contact with intense amber eyes.

Sesshoumaru stood near a neighboring tree, starting intently at Kagome as Sango attempted to cover herself up from any unwanted gaze. Not that he was interested in looking at her. His gaze quickly moved from Kagome to the slayer, only to move back once again.

"Leave," he stated bluntly, and although he was looking directly at Kagome, they understood he meant Sango.

"Uh…um…"

"Sango can stay here if she wants to. I'm the one that invited her to come," Kagome said with righteous indignation.

Giving Sango a pointed look, Sesshoumaru once again brought his attention back upon Kagome. "Leave us," he repeated.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him and glowered. "I said she could stay, you're the one-"

"Um, Kagome…I think I'm just going to go back to the village and see if they need any help with clean up," she said as she quickly got out of the water and redressed. Shippou hopped up on her shoulder and clung on tightly to her clothes, wishing to be as far away from the demon lord as possible. He wasn't worried about Kagome, from what he had seen and heard it seemed that she and Sesshoumaru were very close friends.

Kagome watched Sango and Shippou walk quickly into the forest and disappear. A scowl firmly in place on her face, she crossed her arms and huffed. "Traitor."

She turned around and nearly screeched when she saw that Sesshoumaru had joined her in her bath, not having seen him even move. Quickly her surprise turned to anger, although she was quite enjoying the view of his muscular chest, and one rash decision later, she had splashed water at him.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. "Refrain from such childish antics."

"What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that I did not want to talk to you right now."

The demon lord shrugged nonchalantly and then casually tossed a lock of his damp hair behind his shoulder. Kagome hated the fact that he looked so good doing that.

"It is my wish to bathe, if you do not agree with my being here, you may leave," he said haughtily.

Kagome growled lowly. "I was here first, so _you_ leave."

"No."

"Fine! Stay here then, but _I'm_ going to take _my_ bath," she said as she turned around and continued her soak. Her eyes slid closed while she lathered her washcloth with soap she had learned to make, and she did everything in her power to forget about the opposing dog demon sitting somewhere behind her.

Yes, she was mad at him. She could hold her resolve; she was _not_ controlled by her hormones!

"Kagome."

"What?" she snapped.

"I will not apologize for my actions, but you have my word that an occurrence such as that will not happen again."

Kagome sighed. As much as she would like a full-blown apology, she knew what Sesshoumaru had given her had been about as good as it was going to get. Still, it didn't mean she had to forgive and forget. Did it?

A clawed hand cupped her chin and turned her face. Sesshoumaru gently kissed her lips and moved back to look her in the eyes. "Do not continue to hold anger towards me. What's done is done and I have given you my word that it will not happen again."

"Fine," she said quietly, though she was inwardly still seething.

Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at the female's emotions. Apparently she was set out to give him the silent treatment. Fine, she could do that if she felt it would help. Sesshoumaru had other plans for that mouth of hers anyway.

Sidling up to her, Sesshoumaru wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her forward to meet him. His lips quickly found purchase on her neck and she let out a light gasp at his abruptness. His warm tongue snaked out to run a lazy trail over her skin and Kagome closed her eyes at the sensation. She was supposed to be mad at him damnit! Not letting him kiss her, run his hot mouth over her shoulders and up her neck, not any of those things. Those wonderful, _sensual_ things that he was currently doing to her.

"Mmmmm…" a moan passed her lips unbidden.

Hearing that noise strengthened his resolve to continue his efforts; knowing that they were not entirely unwanted. His lips began sucking on the tender spots of her neck and she tilted her head sideways so that he could reach more of those delicious spots. His claws were scraping her sides lightly, making goose bumps rise on her skin. His hands moved behind her to her fleshy cheeks and he pressed her against him, making sure she felt exactly what she could do to him.

Heat traversed her body when their bodies came together. She looked up and caught his gaze, and she chewed her bottom lip when she saw that his eyes had tinted a light crimson. She had never seen his eyes bleed that color unless he was changing into his true demon form, and she had to admit that it had her a bit apprehensive. She gulped, but kept eye contact with him, waiting for him to do _something_ so that she was not waiting in suspense.

"Do you fear me?" he asked quietly, the intensity in his eyes never wavering.

Kagome nodded her head slightly; she couldn't lie that he sometimes scared the crap out of her. He was quiet, mysterious, deadly, powerful, and never let his emotions overtake him. He was a magnificent creature and Kagome suddenly felt very plain in comparison. It was then that she closed her eyes and broke their stare, but a low growl startled her into snapping her eyes open.

"Did you just growl at me?" she asked incredulously.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but his hands moved languidly over her backside and he dropped his head down to hers to place a hungry kiss on her lips. She sucked in a breath at his quick devouring of her lips, but met his passion with her own. She gripped his shoulders in an effort to stay upright as he pushed himself against her. His hands trailed to the small of her back as he nipped at her lips, taking the bottom between his teeth before pushing his smooth tongue into her mouth with deep caresses. His thumbs stroked her back lightly as he walked her backwards to the edge of the spring. When her back touched the edge and she could go no further, Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her and jumped out of the spring and placed them gently on the ground.

They separated then and Kagome panted for the air that he stole with his kiss. His hands came up to cup her face and she blinked languidly while he silently looked her over with his red-rimmed eyes.

"You are unlike any human I have ever encountered," he said quietly.

Kagome raised her eyebrow and gave a half smirk. "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

The demon lord shrugged. "You many take it as you like."

Kagome raised herself onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his lips. They once again fell into silence as they allowed themselves to become lost in each other's ministrations. Her hands slid over the taught muscles of his chest and he lowered her onto the ground, allowing her to lie upon the clothing he had shed earlier. He propped his body over hers and he dropped his head to suck gently at the juncture of her neck and shoulders. She hummed in content, loving it when he kissed her neck.

His hand moved to a supple breast and he enjoyed the way her nipples drew taught under his attention. Leaning his head forward, he took her pert little mound into his mouth and Kagome hissed lightly when his hot tongue made contact with her cool skin.

Her hands fisted themselves in his long, silky hair and she lifted her hips to try and relieve the tension that had steadily built. She could feel his arousal resting close by her center and her eyes flew open when reality came crashing down. They were naked together, he was on top of her, and his impressive erection was pushing against her. She gave him a gentle nudge and he raised his head to look at her. She was surprised by the underlying desire she saw in his golden depths and it almost scared her as much as seeing his eyes begin to bleed red.

"Sesshoumaru…" she whispered, allowing her eyes to ask the question for her. Her insides were trembling with nerves, and tightness had made its way between her legs. His hands caressed her soft mounds as he trailed his tongue down her body. Her legs spread easily to accommodate him and he drew his tongue over the inside of her thighs.

Kagome lay panting as his dexterous appendage found her moist folds and she took in a deep breath when he breeched her nether lips. She threw her head back and arched her body at the new feeling, bringing her hands to fist in her own hair as he lapped at her womanhood. Her hips rose up to try and increase the pressure, but Sesshoumaru pushed her back down and continued with his delightful task.

His primal side was wreaking havoc on his more rational side, but he paid it no attention. The woman was mewling and chanting his name softly with nearly every stroke of his tongue and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He gave a particularly rough suck to her bundle of nerves and she cried out his name louder as she came. He smirked viciously released her with a quiet 'pop'. He watched in veiled fascination as her chest rose and fell with each shuttering breath she took, and he slowly worked his way back up her body, leaving small kisses in his wake.

When he was level with her, she opened her eyes lazily and gave him a satisfied smile. "Mmmm….that was-"

"Quiet."

Kagome scowled at him. What the hell was with the attitude all of a sudden? She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "Well excuse me; I was just trying to compliment you."

"Woman, be silent," he hissed at her.

She stilled when she noticed that he was concentrating on something, apparently far away. "What is it Sesshoumaru?"

The demon lord gave her a bland look and returned to his silent inspection. Kagome shut her mouth with an audible click, and blushed at her moment of ignorance. They laid there in silence for a while, Kagome watching his face for any sign of displeasure in case immediate action needed to be taken.

After a moment longer, Sesshoumaru looked down at her and brushed a kiss across her lips. "We must go; something is not right."

She nodded her head, but refused to talk in case he still needed her silence. They quickly got dressed, each damning the sense of bad timing that seemingly hovered over them whenever they got a moment alone.

"So what do you think is wrong?" Kagome asked as she finished putting on her shoes. When no answer was forthcoming, she looked behind her to see Sesshoumaru already walking back towards the village. Kagome scrunched up her face into a pout and angrily tied her shoes.

'_Damn, can't even wait for me to get my stupid shoes on!'_ she thought bitterly.

She ran up to catch him and fell in stride at his side. Their time at the springs was cut too short, and she was feeling a little awkward now, thinking of what he had done to her. A blush covered her cheeks and she caught Sesshoumaru looking at her from the corner of his eyes. He raised a finely sculpted eyebrow and she looked away from him quickly, going back to her thoughts.

She hoped that everyone was okay. She was sure Sesshoumaru wouldn't have stopped…well, what they were doing, if it wasn't important. She smiled at that. He actually seemed to care what happened to her and her friends. It was a warming feeling and she allowed it to carry her on the walk back.

When they arrived she took a cursory glance around, noting that while most of the mess had been cleaned up, the place was still in shambles. It would no doubt take a little while to get everything back in order, but it looks as if Inuyasha at least helped. She sent a scathing look Sesshoumaru's way, which he methodically ignored.

Some of the villagers stopped to look their way, but then proceeded with their chores as if they weren't even there. Kagome sighed. She had a feeling she wouldn't be in this village for much longer and it saddened her to think they may leave on bad terms.

"It is not you they are angry with," Sesshoumaru stated as they trudged through the small community.

Kagome looked up at him in curiosity, and he looked at her from the corner of his eye. She appreciated the gesture for what it was, him trying to make her feel better about the entire situation, but all the same it didn't stop her from feeling bad.

They continued on a few steps more before Inuyasha suddenly appeared before them, his face set in a hard frown. Kagome's nerves were immediately set on alert and she clenched her fists at her side. When no explanation was forthcoming, Kagome decided to take initiative.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? What happened?"

The half-demon scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Miroku's missing."

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sure he's just off somewhere…maybe with Sango?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I could smell blood―his blood―and I've looked everywhere for him," he said regretfully. He fidgeted a little and Kagome gave him a pointed look.

"What are you keeping from me Inuyasha?" she asked quietly.

The half-demon looked to Sesshoumaru, quite sure he knew what he was about to say. "Kagome, your friend Takahiro is gone as well. We're pretty sure he's the one who took Miroku."

* * *

_**Thank you for reading! As always, reviews are welcome and much appreciated!**_


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